Disenchanted
by JD01
Summary: Being pregnant at 16 sucked. It sucked even more when you were a guy. But what sucked the most was the father being a 22 year-old rich bastard who loathed you with every inch of him. Not that you liked the asshole anyways. SasuNaru. MPreg. Yaoi.
1. The Pword

**DISCLAIMER:**

**THIS equals WORK OF FICTION. CHARACTERS equal NOT MINE. ME equals POOR. :(**

_**You're just a sad song**_

_**With nothing to say**_

_**About a lifelong**_

_**Wait for a hospital stay**_

_**This never meant nothing to you**_

_**At all**_

**"Disenchanted" by My Chemical Romance Disenchanted**

**DISENCHANTED**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER ONE:**

**The P-word**

* * *

It was fairly early, but he didn't care. He was a boy on a mission, and since when do boys on a mission care about frivolous things such as time? 

The boy clutched the letter tightly in his little tan hands, a nervous smile etched on his lips as his sapphire eyes gleamed with determination. He stalked up his courage and stared at the imposing door with convulsive trepidation. He made it this far; why not go all the way? But see, the blonde's perseverance can only take him so far what with the fear of imminent rejection looming in his every step. One might assume that someone so accustomed to being spurned wouldn't fret over such silly things. One might assume that it gets easier with time, that he should grow a backbone and stop caring. Didn't they understand how terribly _petrifying_ it was to throw yourself in the fire once you have _felt_ its violent crackle sear you alive? After a deep sigh, the young boy took a hesitant step forward. Oh well. What's the worst that could happen? That he gets brutally rejected? That he becomes the laughing stock of the village? That the village council becomes so repulsed by his bold confession that they decide to crucify him? He shuddered at the thought. No. He was getting ahead of himself. He was getting paranoid. He gently slipped the precious letter in the small slit between the ostentatious door and the marble floor. He then placed a single bleeding red rose before the Uchiha manor. He supposed that today of all days- when crushes and love was celebrated throughout the globe- a certain prodigy would be the recipient of endless zany romantic declarations and naïve promises. However, the blonde child believed that deep down inside his letter would be different. His would definitely catch the ever-popular aloof heartthrob's attention. _It had to!_

He would spend entire classes shamelessly admiring and ogling the ebony haired teen sensation. Uchiha Sasuke, at age sixteen was already a jounin and aspiring ANBU captain. To gain additional favor among the villagers, the council of elders suggested that the teenager devote some of his time aiding Iruka sensei in '_forming Konoha's_ _future pillars_'.

The next morning, Naruto's pygmy heart skipped a beat upon seeing a letter accompanying a small package in front of his door. His little body effervesced with hope as he eagerly ripped the letter open. However, he felt a sinking feeling in his heart once he realized that he was holding his own letter- the one he had written addressed to the Uchiha. Except the letter had been modified. It had crimson correction marks soiling the paper. In the corner of the letter, in neat and elegant calligraphy, was scripted a little note.

'_Before contemplating wasting my precious time on such pathetic idiocy, at least make the effort of learning how to spell dobe.'_

Yes, he had managed to catch the emotionless teenager's attention… just not in the way he had imagined. Naruto opened the package, and sure enough, he had received a dictionary along with a copy of 'Guide to Spelling for Idiots'. The ten year-old boy's pygmy heart broke; his sapphire eyes darkened with unshed tears. Ah yes, rejection scythed his heart once more. He clenched his fist as the agony in the pit of his stomach churned into edacious rage. He knew then with baffling clarity that he _loathed_ Uchiha Sasuke.

XXX

He _loathed_ Uzumaki Naruto.

His black army boots resounded in an intimidating fashion on the dirt, his onyx eyes glared at the three useless and incompetent wastes of oxygen panting and huffing pathetically.

The clingy pink haired teenager eyed him hesitantly, borderline ogling with repugnant fervor. But at least she had the decency to _try_ to look discreet. Though the murderous glance thrown her way that made Sakura blush and _finally_ turn away. Beside the violent and sadistic female ninja stood the smiling raven dunce. Apparently the idiot- Sai was it?- was too stupid to be scared of the Uchiha prodigy. He just stood there, his lips turned in that creepy, fake –flirtatious?- smile of his. Then there was the blonde retard, heaving and puffing like some impudent child, piercing blue eyes glowering him. And then there were people even _stupider_ who boldly, suicidally declared war on an Uchiha.

"Each and every one of you inapt apes is incapable of taking care of a spoon, let alone _protecting an entire village_!" Sasuke spat out with utter disgust, contorting his chiseled features savagely.

The all mighty Uchiha stalked smugly to and fro, in front of the band of dunderheads who were supposed to defend- God help us all- Konoha. Suddenly, he spotted movement from the corner of his eye. Someone dared to move while he was delivering his 'you're-all-a-bunch-of-shitheads-but-more-eloquently-put-of-course' speech?

A dark eyebrow rose elegantly, twitching in annoyance at having his glorious lecture interrupted. Not that he had rehearsed it in front of a mirror or anything. What a preposterous idea! He turned to see the dumb blonde quaking slightly. Maybe the idiot was epileptic and was currently having a seizing episode. Maybe he would drop dead at any second. The Uchiha quickly suppressed the sadistic smile threatening to spill across his face.

"Uzumaki!" growled the young man, armed with a fierce scowl.

The flaxen-haired teenaged looked up, azure meeting onyx once again.

"Yes, sensei?" Naruto mumbled weakly, his face sickeningly livid.

Sasuke froze, not used to receiving such a revoltingly mawkish response from the usually volatile airhead.

"What's with the ugly face, Uzumaki? Your horrendous _jutsus_ making you sick?" he asked, basking in his shameless taunting, when suddenly Naruto's eyes widened. The teenager clutched his stomach and… a stream of vomit came spewing out of his mouth and spilled unceremoniously on to Uchiha Sasuke's once very shiny boots.

Oh yes. He reiterated: he _loathed_ Uzumaki Naruto.

XXX

In this gigantic, cold and unpredictable world there were seldom things that were certain- well three things actually.

Rub your eyes after eating something spicy with your hands and your eyes will sting and they will burn, and oh God! No matter how virile, manly you are, no matter how huge your penis is, you _will_ cry.

Garlic makes your breath stink and Sakura-chan will never kiss you

Puke on Uchiha sensei's lustrous boots and you'll be certain to get your pretty little head decapitated.

And so, an uncharacteristically blanching Naruto sauntered clumsily behind a furious Uchiha-sensei who marched angrily towards Hokage tower. The acrid stench of his vomit still lingered unpleasantly in the air. The blonde boy stumbled, as the bitter bile rose in his larynx and as he tried desperately not to breathe in the foul odor bustling in his nostrils. It was awkwardly silent with only the sound of clicking boots filling up the air.

"Perhaps this might be an inconceivable notion for a moron like you, but some of us do have_important_ matters to attend to," thundered impatiently the raven ninja as he increased his speed.

Naruto glared at the inconsiderate bastard who was spitefully stalking speedily. The heartless ANBU captain knew the blonde couldn't keep up in his state, and yet he continued moving hastily.

"What do you care? Why are you even accompanying me?! I'm not a kid you know! I probably just had some expired milk or something …" Naruto said defiantly, a childish glare marring his adolescent features.

Sasuke simply snorted in response, without slowing his pace the slightest bit.

"You are a retard incapable of-"

"Oh shut up! If I didn't know any better, I would think Uchiha princess actually cares about m-"

But before the still ashen Naruto could have the luxury of finishing his sentence and season it with his trademark impudent smirk, he was greeted with a violent and stinging punch. The flaxen-haired student was utterly shocked as he tumbled ungracefully on the floor from the brute impact of the hit. He scrunched his face in agony, gently rubbing his bruised cheek. He shot a betrayed look at Sasuke, his dark blue eyes gleaming fiercely.

"Uzumaki, it would be best if you remember your place. You are the student. _I_ am the teacher, regardless of…" he snapped his mouth shut as he realized what he was about to say. A small tinge of pink colored his cheeks.

_Oh_. Yes, he was referring to…_that_. That thing. The incident that –upon silent unofficial agreement- never happened.

Naruto could feel the nausea bubbling inside him. His blanched face contorted unpleasantly as he could taste the acrid remnants of his vomit still stinging in his mouth. And then, without any warning, Naruto emptied the now meager contents of his stomach on his sensei's once pretty black boots.

A fuming Uchiha stared at his dilapidated boots with hopeless aversion, before closing his eyes, desperately trying to control his mounting anger. He ordered through gritted teeth for the obnoxious blonde to get up. The miserable duo continued marching in dense silence until they arrived before their destination.

"Hokage-sama. She ordered me to keep a close watch on you. She wished to be alerted upon the slightest trouble, including if you got your pansy ass sick," Sasuke sneered haughtily, relishing in the delicious slander.

"I can take care of myself!" Naruto exclaimed, weakly flailing his arms in puerile vigor, despite his frail condition.

"Clearly you can't," the raven smirked before adding, "and apparently the Hokage seems to agree."

Naruto, even weakened by consecutive puking, glowered at him fiercely, his hands itching to connect with the snobby man's face.

"Now, _stay_. It shouldn't be a difficult task. It's a command that even _dogs_ can follow," the Uchiha said, an arrogant complacent smile on his face.

Naruto was left seething as he watched the figure retreat in all its infuriating grace. The Uchiha stopped mid-way and threw back a lofty sneer.

"Oh and dobe?" he called back casually as his face split in a composed smirk, "these boots are coming out of your pocket."

XXX

"Uzumaki," the gruff voice scolded.

Azure eyes shot up to meet dark onyx ones. He stumbled his way off of the floor and roughly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. It had been what? A few hours since the arrogant asshole had ordered him around like some vile mutt?

"The Hokage wishes to speak to you," he explained succinctly, walking away.

"Y-you're leaving?" Naruto asked weakly as confusion washed over him. Why bother walking him all the way here and spend _hours_ talking to the Hokage, if it was to leave before even finding out what was happening to him?

The Uchiha raised an elegant black brow and threw him a disgusted glance.

"I thought you said you could take care of yourself."

"I-I can you bastard! It was just a question!" the blonde ninja shot back defensively through clenched teeth. Just when he was _starting_ to think the arrogant jerk had some semblance of a heart, the arrogant jerk had to go be all arrogant jerky-ish.

And such a cheeky and childish retort made the Uchiha soundlessly shake his head as he continued his journey home.

"She wants to speak with you,_privately_," he finally supplied, as he disappeared through the bushes.

Naruto ran a hand through his flaxen hair and sighed, staggering his way up to the dragon's den, also known as the Hokage's office.

"What's the deal brat?" was the fiery question that greeted him upon entering the dragon's den/witch's lair. Tsunade unabashedly scrutinized him, taking in his sickly pallor with motherly concern.

"Uchiha is a-"

"Sensei."

"Uchiha-_sensei_ is such a girl! He is just being a pricky bastard! I have a cold so I kinda sneezed on his boots, and now he's PMSing!" Naruto rambunctiously explained, making wide circular motions with his hands to emphasize his point.

"Oh? Is that so? You '_kinda sneezed_'? Don't lie to me brat. You retched all over his pretty boots," the older blonde stated matter-of-factly, a simper gracing her lips.

"They're not _that_ pretty! I don't get what all the fuss is about," Naruto exclaimed in exasperation; his face scrunched up in muddled confusion. "And anyways i-it's just a mild case of stomach flu!" he cried out indignantly.

"I thought you said it was a cold?" replied the Hokage, a crisp golden brow raised challengingly.

"Whatever! It's nothing serious," Naruto mumbled feebly in a tone that lacked conviction.

"Brat, I am a friggin medic nin. _I_'m the one who gives the diagnosis! Don't go playing doctor with me," scolded the older blonde, a vein beginning to throb on her forehead in annoyance. This conversation had just begun and she knew it was going absolutely _nowhere_.

The teenage ninja scoffed disbelievingly.

"Ha! Some medic nin you are! You're always drunk and you're terrified of blood, and you-"

"And if you don't want me to castrate you, you'll shut the hell up," Tsunade warned through clenched teeth, the vein's palpitating motion amplifying by the second.

"Shutting up now," Naruto said solemnly, swiftly clamping his mouth shut.

"Now Naruto, remove your pants," she gestured lazily to his crotch, a hand on her temples desperately trying to mitigate her growing headache.

The mischievous ninja's sapphire eyes widened in mock shock, his jaw grazing the floor.

"Wha-?! Baa-chan! I-I'm flattered but you're too old for me and what would the villagers think?! And-" the young boy rapped out in pseudo indignation.

"What did I say about you and shutting the hell up?" Tsunade retorted acerbically, her golden eyes flaring in fury as her little headache morphed into a raging migraine.

"Dropping pants now," Naruto said in sheer scared obedience, as he hooked his fingers on his waistband. "Just try not to stare too much. I wouldn't want you drooling all over the floor, or worse, hemorrhaging from a severe nosebleed!" he exclaimed, throwing his superior a mischievous smirk.

The unwise retort earned him a well-aimed lofty book hitting him square in the face.

XXX

An ominous aura emanated from the usually hyper Hokage. Naruto shifted uncomfortably underneath her calculating gaze. He was mentally and physically exhausted at this point. The shying sun was setting in the horizon, engulfing the village in assuaging orange light. He clasped his eyes shut as he let an earth-shattering sigh escape his lips. He had spent all day being poked and prodded by the team of female medic nins underneath the Tsunades's golden watchful eyes. After the first thirty minutes had elapsed, the Sannin's face was blemished with a worrisome frown. She downed a whole bottle of sake in one impressive gulp. By that point, the flaxen-haired boy had guessed that something wasn't quite right. Perhaps he was suffering from something a bit more serious than a mere stomach flu. His skepticism only intensified when Shizune dropped his chart upon seeing his blood test results, or when Sakura-chan kept gaping at him like some mentally retarded fish while she conducted an ultrasound or even when Hinata-chan fainted upon activating her _Byakugan_. His suspicions were confirmed when the infuriating women refused to utter a word as he kept badgering them with a plethora of questions. They proceeded to gasp mysteriously and whisper all day long. It was starting to irritate him. Damn it. Something was wrong. Something was _terribly_ wrong with him, and people were veiling the truth from him. He_despised_ being kept from the truth.

Now, drained to the marrow, Naruto gathered his last iota of patience, hoping to receive some semblance of clarification.

After a grave moment of silence pregnant with tension, the blonde middle-aged woman cleared her throat, drawing the attention of her pupil. She chugged her seventh bottle of warm saccharine sake and leaned forward, resting on chin of intertwined fingers.

"Did you get laid recently?" Tsunade blurted out in all her brazen glory.

The young blonde spluttered from sheer shock at such blunt question.

"What the fu-? What has that got to do with _anything_?! Quit stalling baa-chan! What is wrong with me?!" he asked, his eyebrows twitching. Confusion erupted from within as his cerulean eyes betrayed his fatigue.

Tsunade sent him a softened, affected look in a maternal fashion.

"It has _everything_ to do with it, brat. Now spill it, Uzumaki! Did you have sexual intercourse lately?" Tsunade inquired, her impatience only mounting as the boy fidgeted nervously.

Naruto turned his head away, huffing angrily with a pink tinge coloring his cheeks. The Sannin exhaled; the teenager's reaction has sufficed as response.

"Was it your first time?" she queried, the assuaging timber. She gazed at the boy affectionately.

The usually overzealous blonde ninja bit his lower lip, mutilating the poor plush flesh between his teeth and nodded slowly.

"Hmm, well that would partially explain it," Tsunade muttered, evaluating Naruto with her hazel eyes. It made him feel so terribly naked in front of the wise albeit drunk Hokage.

"Explain what, damn it?!" Naruto cried out, oozing of exasperation.

"Explain the fact that one of my best ninjas, future Hokage of Konoha, has a bun in the oven!"

Saucers. That would probably be the most accurate term to describe the current state of Naruto's sapphire eyes.

Tsunade could literally feel the boy's brain fry from trying to desperately process the overload of information.

'His brain cells must be dying,' Tsunade mused amusedly as she watched the boy comically open his mouth a few times, though no sound was produced. But eventually bored by the absurd spectacle, Tsunade decided to hurl a hefty book on the dazed retard. The violent thwack ungracefully knocked the rueful boy on the floor.

"Ow! What the-" Naruto began whining puerilely, once successfully snapped out of his daze

"You're pregnant," Tsunade declared, getting rather bored with this conversation.

"Don't you have any bedside manners, _doctor_? You shouldn't go around beating up pregnant women!" Naruto cried out with ire, nursing a nasty bump on his head.

"But you aren't a woman," the Hokage pointed out in a matter-of-factly manner, twirling her fingers to entertain herself.

"I-" the boy sputtered in genuine befuddlement. "You really aren't bull shitting me huh?" Naruto asked solemnly. Suddenly all humor had evanesced. He threw her a perplexed and woeful expression.

Hazel eyes locked into deep cerulean. At that moment it struck Naruto like an ominous, foreboding epiphany. He knew that from this moment the life he led would be forever and irreparably altered.

"But how?" he asked, unable to shake off the disarraying turmoil threatening to engulf his soul.

"I'm not quite sure, but I do have a vague idea. We'll get to that later. But more importantly Naruto, I have to know who the father is."

"Uhh, me?" the boy replied, contorting his face, puzzled by the obviously stupid question.

"_Tell me_," Tsunade inquired once more, grinding her teeth in frustration, seriously reconsidering nominating this dunce to replace her.

Then it dawned on the young blonde as his face turned into a pretty shade of vermillion.

"Sensei-teme," he mumbled dimly.

"As in Uchiha? Uchiha Sasuke? Your Uchiha-sensei?!" shrieked the bewildered Hokage, suddenly feeling her temples throb in utter agony.

"So let me get this straight. A sixteen year-old _minor_ got fucked by my very _adult_ captain of ANBU?" she asked in restrained calmness- a bit like the calm that preceded a storm.

"Err… yes?" he answered hesitantly.

"So, how was it?" she asked impetuously, slightly digressing from the matter at hand.

"Well you see… Idon'tremember," he spoke in a rushed manner, jumbling his words as his face turned crimson.

"And pray tell, why is that?" she asked. Her face remained impassive but her eyes promised a slow and torturous death.

"Because I was plastered?"

"So you're telling me that not only did you have underage sex, not only did you break Konoha's fundamental code of ethics regarding teacher-student relations, not only did you literally break the laws of Nature by getting knocked up, but you also indulged yourself in underage drinking?!" screamed Tsunade in utter outrage. "I have _never_ been so disappointed with someone in my life!" slamming her palms flat on her desk.

"Hey! It takes two to tango!" cried out the young ninja defensively.

"Oh believe me, my _esteemed_ captain will hear of this!"

"NO!!!!" Naruto screeched much like a savage banshee, sweats of trepidation lathering his forehead.

"Y-you can't tell him!"

"He will find out eventually," Tsunade reasoned, her face grave.

"No. _No._ He won't. Not from me and certainly not from you," Naruto said, determination glistening in his enchanting sapphire eyes.

"Naruto! He is the father of your unborn child," she tried to reason with the stubborn young man.

"I- stop. That means _nothing_ to me. I-" Naruto uttered, stumbling on his words, clasping his eyes shut. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. It was a mistake. It had to be! This was some sick, disgusting joke. Any moment now someone will come running out shrieking 'April's Fool!'. Yes, yes that had to be it.

"T-this is just so surreal to me. I- Just give me time to process all of this, to deal with…" his voice trailed off as he stared at the mesmerizing horizon, "with this. Promise me you won't tell him, OK?"

"Please baa-chan! This is my body! This is my life. _Not_ his. Don't involve him in this!" he cried out, the urgency evident in his voice.

"Ok," she said reluctantly.

"_Please!_"

For the first time in her life, Tsunade witnessed the young confident man's deep blue eyes obscure with something akin to profound fear and despondency, and it _terrified_ her.

"Ok" Tsunade repeated, sighing in resignation.

"Promise me!" he pleaded in chagrining desperation.

"I promise," she finally replied after a pregnant pause.

"But I don't see how Sasuke can't find out. How do you plan on hiding your pregnancy from Sasuke? Eventually you'll start showing… unless if – are you going to terminate it?" she asked cautiously.

"I-I just need to breathe. Give me the time to breathe, _please_. All I need is some air."

"You're pregnant Naruto! How can you be so irresponsible!"

"I didn't plan this! I'm a man for God's sake! I'm not _supposed_ to get pregnant if the guy who shoves his dick up my ass doesn't don the rubber! I'm not_supposed_ to get pregnant at all! Are you sure it's not a mistake? Maybe it's a STD? It wouldn't surprise me if the bastard was crawling with them!" he exclaimed in despair.

"You're sixteen. You're a child having a child. Don't you understand the enormity of the situation?" Tsunade yelled, furious that he would dare to joke at a moment such as this.

"I'm a ninja." That said it all, didn't it? Age. Frivolous thing such as age didn't carry a modicum of import when at any moment a ninja, soldier of Konoha, was ready to die and was trained to kill, to rob another human being of life. How can age matter? Naruto had stopped being a child long ago.

"D-don't worry, OK? I'm Uzumaki Naruto, you can't get rid of me that easily! I have to replace a certain old had as Hokage after all!" he said after a long pause, plastering his best toothy smile.

"Brat," Tsunade muttered, rubbing her head and surveying the young man tenderly. "Know that whatever you decide to do, I'll be there for you, ok?" she said in a firm but softened inflexion.

Naruto nodded earnestly. His chest constricted painfully. He was suffocating here. He couldn't_breathe_. He yearned for oxygen. He swiftly left the room, his head in complete disarray. As Naruto exited the Hokage tower, his eyes riveted to the purple bars molding in the sky. His hand dazedly drifted on his flat and toned stomach. And suddenly a realization birthed in him and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

'_Oh my God. I'm fucking preggers._'

* * *

**End.of.Chapter.I**

**I always told myself that I would**_**never**_** write Mpreg. Gah. Whatever. I seem to be contradicting myself a lot lately. Mhmm, live with it. XP**

**I truly hope that the first chapter was as enjoyable to read as it was to write. Now it is open for your judgment and slander (praise? Maybe?), should you choose to submit it.**

**Peace, Love & Empathy**

**L-word you all.**

**JD**


	2. Of Knowing and Not Telling

DISCLAIMER:

THIS equals WORK OF FICTION. CHARACTERS equal NOT MINE. ME equals POOR. (

Credit to: MayIFall – the coolest beta on the planet!

_Why has the sky turned grey  
Hard to my face and cold on my shoulder  
And why has my life gone astray  
Scarred by disgrace, I know that it's over_

"**Falling Down" by Duran Duran **

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER TWO:**

**Of Knowing and Not Telling**

**One. Month. Previous.**

"Kazekage-sama," the stoic raven-haired man greeted through forcibly, clenched teeth, respectfully standing as the calm redhead entered the room. His three pupils mimicked his movements and synchronically rose from their seats in one solemn motion. It was quite a quintessential picture really, one that-much the Uchiha's dismay- had to rehearse several times. Honestly, how hard can it be to _rise from your chair_? But the task was far more arduous than it led on, for Naruto would either fall out of his chair or his timing would be off. Sakura would get violent, which would delay the whole affair and Sai just… _smiled_.

The Kazekage nonchalantly nodded in response, his emerald eyes sweeping the room in a calculating manner, almost like an animal on the lookout. An amalgamation of Leaf and Sand ninjas stood in the room, eyeing him wearily.

"Oi, Gaara!" A happy mop of blond waved eagerly. His face-splitting grin overwhelmed the Leaf ninja's face, making his eyes squint almost in a caricaturing fashion. The puerile teenager jittered, jumping up and down like a man having the misfortune of having his pants invaded by ants. By that point, most Sand shinobis were gaping at the exuberant presence with much disbelief, an expression akin to 'What the fuck? Is he for real?!' marring their faces, because after all, the lovable idiot was disrupting a primordial meeting to _wave_ and -_oh lord!-_ _smile_ at the Kazekage.

And Sunagakure's elite ninjas nearly urinated in their underpants when they were greeted by the sight of their esteemed leader not only tolerate such ridiculous and unprofessional display but _nod_ in response with almost a tinge of warm familiarity.

"Naruto, _stop_," hissed the pink-haired girl painfully jabbing her bony elbow in the blond figure beside her. Naruto winced, howling tactlessly in pain, causing more eyebrows to evanesce into the hairline.

"Sakuuuuuurraa-chan! That _hurts_!" the ninja whined annoyingly in all his juvenile boisterousness.

By that point, Uchiha Sasuke was gripping his temples, trying desperately to will away a colossal migraine.

"Kazekage-sama, I apologize for my squad's unprofessional behavior," gritted out the captain of ANBU through painfully clenched teeth, mentally stabbing his pupils in all gory glory. "They tend to catch stupid after a long voyage," he muttered acridly underneath his breath.

Unfortunately for him, this remark did not fall on deaf ears.

"Captain, I believe that insulting your own very competent squad is not only less than stellar behavior, but as a leader it is downright reprehensible," droned Gaara matter-of-factly with subtle emotion, his eyes fleeting towards a certain blond. Not that the Kage even cared about such trivial affairs, he just secretly, for what appeared to be some unbeknownst reason, enjoyed one-upping the arrogant captain. Yes, Gaara was a closet sadist. The Uchiha glared at the crimson haired Kazekage, biting his tongue to avoid unleashing a vicious verbal attack to Sunagakure's leader.

Sai continued smiling bemusedly, Sakura seemed vexed with having her precious sensei humiliated, and naturally, Naruto snickered audibly, not even bothering with discretion, relishing in having his pristine captain publicly reprimanded.

Fists tightly clenched, Sasuke was internally pondering how exactly would he evade Suna once he decapitated the Kazekage.

"Well then, let's proceed," Gaara announced peremptorily, successfully bringing everyone out of their reverie and killing all lingering laughter. He meant business.

XXX

"Waaah! Gaara is _so_ cool!" crowed Naruto, flailing his arms in exuberant admiration as he collapsed on the couch.

"Yeah, well, personally I didn't like the fact that he blatantly disregarded sensei like that! And in front of everybody!" Sakura yelled indignantly, angrily sharpening her kunais.

"Pfft! The bastard deserved it! He is so prissy Sakura-chan! I don't know why you like him so much! He is such a dick and-" began the boy in a whiny tone.

"Really Naruto? Do you really want to finish that sentence?" asked the pink-haired lady, one of her peculiarly, honed kunai firmly gripped in her hand, her green specks blazing with unveiled emotion.

Naruto's eyes bulged comically and he began to back towards the couch, praying for it to swallow him whole. He shot his hands up defensively, while stuttering madly.

"B-but Sakura-chan! Uchiha-bastard is so _old_. Way too old for you!" he cried out desperately.

"He is not!" cried out the young woman in indignation. "He is twenty-two! Six years is hardly noticeable! It's not like he is some old wrinkly geezer! He is handsome and muscular and, _oh_! His intelligence is direly attractive! And, _dear lord_, did you see the way his ass-"

"Please stop before I end up puking myself bone-dry," the flaxen-haired teenager said, glowering at the floor. He crossed his arms on his chest, a scowl full of repugnance blemishing his soft features.

"Mhmm, though I hate to admit it, dickless here is right. Uchiha-sensei is over eighteen. You know if he were to fuck you, it would be considered statutory rape and-" commenced Sai in a disinterested manner, as he lazily shoved a few choice weapons in his pouch.

"I-I w-wasn't talking a-about that! I said he's hot, that doesn't mean I want to…with h-him!" stuttered madly the young pink-haired ANBU, a tinge of pink furiously coloring her cheeks as she floundered about.

"Why, of course Sakura-_chan_. You're so pure and sweet like a delicate flower. It's not like you spend all your time staring at sensei's ass, or fantasizing about seeing him nak-" began the onyx-haired ninja, a bemused smirk placed on his lips.

"Sai, stop tormenting poor Sakura-chan! And hey! How many times do I have to tell you, moron? I am _not_ dickless! Besides why would Sakura want to see the teme naked? Seriously, who would want that asshole's puny dick in them?!" Naruto grimaced, making exaggerated, retching sounds at the unholy, sacrilegious image of Sasuke donning the birthday suit and getting down and dirty with his sweet Sakura-chan. The thought alone of them even _possibly_ uniting in such an abhorrent manner made the acrid bile burn his esophagus. _Ewww_. Naruto shuddered in utter disgust.

"Sensei's dick is _not_ puny!" Sakura exclaimed in pure, unadulterated outrage, clutching her scything kunai with a homicidal grip.

A moment laden with silence passed, as both Naruto and Sai stopped their movements and stared at the young woman with the cherry-blossomed hair.

"Not that I have ever seen it though…" she mumbled weakly, her face scarlet as she diverted her attention back to honing her weapons.

The raven-haired ninja continued to smile in that perpetually creepy way of his, fingering a couple of weapons and weighing them.

"Oh, I am sure sensei's penis is bigger than yours, Naruto. Hell, even _ants_ have bigger cocks," he said in that monotonous way of his, his dark eyes gleaming maliciously.

"Ants don't have penises," Sakura reprimanded, a frown marring her porcelain skin. "Besides, Sasuke is not only bigger than Naruto, he is huge!" she added absentmindedly, smiling dreamily as she pursued fervently sharpening her weapons.

"HEY!! My penis is gigantic, OK?! Sasuke's got nothing on me! You want to see?!" squeaked the passionate blond, as his nimble tan fingers hastily proceeded to unbuckled his belt.

"Please don't, Naruto!" shouted speedily the young kunoichi with bulged eyes. "We'd hate to be greeted with-"

"Absolutely nothing," Sai completed, snickering toothily like an imbecile.

The flaxen-haired ninja turned crimson with fury, as he huffed indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest like a child.

"And Sakura-_chan_, I thought you said you didn't peek on sensei?" Sai inquired in mock curiosity.

It was then Sakura's turn to turn a violent shade of vermillion.

"In fact I'm surprise that you, delicate and innocent Sakura, are even actively participating in a discussion on penises," he went on with pseudo innocence, his dark eyes glinting unwholesomely.

Naruto guffawed inelegantly, sticking out his tongue in pure mirth.

"Oh please, this is Sakura-chan we're talking about! There is nothing delicate about her. With her violent surges, she can go on a killing rampa-"

Though the hearty blond's laughter quickly died as he saw Sakura fingering her dangerously sharp kunai and a throbbing vein pulsating rapidly on her wide forehead. This in turn caused Sai to smirk amusedly as he anticipated the butchering of his fellow teammate.

But before the lady ninja could massacre a certain foul-mouthed blond, in a very unlady-like manner, mind you, the door was forcefully yanked open, a certain ebony-haired sensei came thundering in, a black cloud of doom hovering above his head.

"We are leaving. Immediately. Gather your things," stated Sasuke peremptorily.

The air was laden with the silent tension as their captain proceeded to glare viciously at them.

"Oh, and if one of you dunderheads even dare to _think_, let alone utter a single word about today's meeting, I will promptly skin you idiots alive. _Never_ embarrass me again. Am I clear?" growled Sasuke in a tone that promised death to whomever was stupid enough to disobey.

Sakura nodded hastily, grabbing her pouch and scurried away from her angered teacher, followed by the perpetually serene Sai, the creepy smile intact on his lips as he leisurely walked away. Just when Naruto was about to do a mad dash out of the room, and most importantly, out of crazy (PMS-ing), violent teacher's sight, a thundering call of "Uzumaki!" resounded from his sensei's lips.

Naruto gulped audibly, slowly turning to face his captain's untamable wrath.

"Y-yes, sensei?" he stuttered hesitantly, a nervous smile on his plush lips as he scratched the back of his golden turf of hair.

Sasuke sneered at the boy in front of him, the closet sadist in him wanting to inflict misery upon him for his earlier mishap.

"The Kazekage wishes to speak to you," he stated, opting to torture the idiot once out of Suna and away from a certain maniacal Kage.

Naruto sighed of relief non-to-discreetly; his trademark blinding grin washing over his facial features, this caused the raven to frown. A happy Naruto was never a good thing. A grinning Naruto only meant one thing…

"Ok, I'm off then…and, oh, Sensei? About today's meeting… red really suits you. You should blush more often!"

That stupid would come out of his mouth.

Though fortunately for Naruto (and not quite fortunately for the captain of ANBU), he dodged a well-aimed lethal kunai hurled in his direction.

"Waaah! Sensei! You nearly murdered me! That certainly isn't appropriate behavior from the captain of ANBU!" he exclaimed dramatically, panting wildly as his heart beat impetuously from his close encounter with the Skeleton with the Scythe.

This time though, he was not prepared to receive a forceful punch on his jaw. Naruto staggered with wide eyes, and clumsily fell on his rear, his hand on his stinging maxillary.

"Oh, I am _so_ telling Gaara!" he declared venomously, as he scurried away before his evil teacher could inflict him any more harm. Before disappearing out of sight, he childishly stuck out his tongue at the visibly fuming ebony-haired figure.

XXX

He entered the surprisingly, dimly, lit room and noticed right away that the curtains were drawn on the imposing windows that usually offered a beauteous scenery of the serene village and its magnificent architectural creations. He was about to greet the Kazekage with his usual zeal, but the lively words died at the tip of his tongue as a worrisome aura emanated from the stoic redhead.

"Gaara?" Naruto croaked uneasily.

His black-rimmed eyes carefully scanned, calculated, and _penetrated_ him. It was a bit unsettling, the way his emerald eyes were scrutinizing him, as though internally debating some matter.

"Be careful," he murmured after a pregnant silence.

"Is something going on?" the young ninja questioned, furrowing his brows, the unsettling feeling only intensifying by the second.

"Just be careful."

Naruto frowned. Why the hell did Gaara _always_ have to be so succinct?

"I-I will. Gaara?" he gulped nervously, noticing the fiery embers in those pearly green eyes.

"He lied," Gaara sighed, momentarily closing his eyes and clasping his hands together. "Kankouru. He lied. When he debriefed the mission."

And suddenly, Naruto knew this was no laughing matter. Endless green met sapphire blue. He _knew_ that lives would be on the line. He knew he was going to regret opening his mouth.

"Tell me," Naruto asked in utmost seriousness. Suddenly it seemed like Naruto had grown, as though he was far wiser than his age gave him credit for. He was no longer a teenager, but a man. A man who has suffered, a man who has learned important life lessons, a man who was taught to _kill_.

"Are you familiar with Akatsuki?" he asked, secretly wondering why he was humoring the ninja.

Naruto scrunched up his face in thought. Akat…yes, it sounded familiar.

"Only that they are a troublesome faction of missing-nins…Wait, what do they have to do with the scroll we're supposed to-"

"They're after Shukaku," the young leader said bluntly, in no mood to stall or beat around the bushes.

The expression-filled boy's eyes bulged. This was bad. Bad, bad, _very_ bad.

"A-are you certain? How do you know?" he asked, the seed of worry growing inside the pit of his stomach, churning his guts uncomfortably.

One look in Gaara's hardened eyes was enough to convince Naruto. Then, with the violence of a thundering light bolt it dawned upon his just _why_ Gaara summoned his for this personal chat.

"Kyuubi. Y-you think they might be after me? After Kyuubi no Kitsune?" though it was a rhetorical question, really, Naruto had known for ages that this doomed day would come, the day he feared because of him, of _who_ he was, or _what_ he contained; he would put the lives of those he love most in peril's way.

"Be careful," was the litany that escaped the expressionless man.

"D-does Uchiha-sensei know?" the blond ninja asked, biting his lower-lip in effort to control his disarrayed thoughts.

Emerald, blithe eyes flitted to him at the mention of the captain's name, but no sound escaped his lips. Naruto, contrary to popular belief, wasn't as dense as people tended to perceive. He knew that Uchiha, for some unbeknownst reason, was a sore subject for the ladder, but this only made him furious.

"You realize that it is _illegal_ to lie to the ANBU squad about the mission profile, right? If we are going to be confronted with the _friggin'_ Akatsuki, we have to be _prepared_, damn it! You do realize that Captain is going to throw a fit?" he spewed with igniting wrath, his face turning red with anger as he clutched his fists tightly.

"It is not lying. The true nature of this mission is to remain enshrouded."

Had Gaara not heard a _single_ word he said?!

"You lied," he spoke calmly, though the darkened hue of his usually sapphire eyes revealed the betrayal he felt. Gaara's betrayal. Gaara. His friend, the man he admired for becoming Kazekage at such a youthful age, _lied_ to him and his squad. Now he had the galls to ask him to _lie_ as well and potentially put his entire squad's lives at risk?! The anger consumed him, as he felt utterly disappointed and deceived.

"Naruto," the Kage spoke softly, a bit taken aback from the violence of Naruto's emotions. "Be that as it may, you have to understand we have to remain discreet. It's only a rumor, and we cannot afford to have such a rumor instigating fear among the villagers. If you are confronted with the Akatsuki, it will be perceived as a mere coincidence."

Naruto nodded solemnly, his wrath slowly evanescing as his friend's word sunk in. It did make sense though-why would the Kazekage summon the ANBU to deliver a simple scroll. He knew that the captain might have been something bigger going on as well. He frowned slightly, his flitting thoughts preoccupying him.

"Naruto…" the Kage repeated again in a soft timber, his green eyes calculating him, scrutinizing once more.

"Waah, Gaara! I kicked your ass, don't you remember? Ain't nobody gonna bring down the great Uzumaki!" he eagerly declared, though his mirth seemed a bit _forced_ in Gaara's eyes. Something in his bright, green eyes softened, though it was only for a fleeting moment. Barely perceptible.

"Hold on to the scroll," he ordered in a demanding tone.

"What's in it?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued by the command.

"Something of utmost importance," was Gaara's laconic reply.

"You're being cryptic," Naruto accused, contorting his face juvenilely.

"You don't need to know what's in it, just-"

"Yes, '_hold on to the scroll_' and '_be careful, Naruto_'," he mimicked in an unflattering and uncharacteristic, shrilly timber. "After all, this time you still have no faith in the great Uzumaki?" he asked in mock indignation, puerilely sticking out his tongue and waving as he exited the Kazekage's chambers.

Guards stood beside the imposing doors, blocking a frowning Uchiha.

"What did he want?" grunted the captain suavely.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto simpered smugly, exposing all of his teeth… this of course got him promptly smacked on the back of his head by his easily infuriated sensei. Naruto winced in pain, clutching the back of his head as he glared at his smirking teacher.

"What? Are you jealous?"

Of course, some people never learned.

The Uchiha gnashed his teeth fervently. His eyes bled crimson as he viciously lunged forward, clutching his livid fists, until they turned utterly and sickly white.

"Captain," commanded the voice of the young Sand leader, who stood at the threshold of his chambers, eying the duo.

"We'll be going now," Sasuke hissed, the onyx tomoes spinning wildly as he threw a challenging sneer to the Kazekage. He _hated_ the way his _student_ made him lose complete control, causing him to forget himself, to forget his boundaries, and blatantly disregard the reputation he had worked so hard to build. It was downright insalubrious the _control_ a mere student could have on his behavior. Sasuke was seething.

Gaara paid no heed to the fuming Uchiha, instead his eyes only riveted to a certain blond.

"Good luck," he stated, giving him a meaningful look before disappearing into his chambers once more.

Strangely enough, the Uchiha couldn't help but get annoyed by the attention his dunderhead of a student was getting.

XXX

The torrid sand whipped his whiskered face as he tried to muster up as much strength as possible. He had to get through. How hard could that be? But the scalding grains mercilessly slapping his face begged to differ. He internally cursed Mother Nature six ways to Sunday who had decided now of all times to PMS.

It didn't help matters with the last minute, imminent threat of S-class, missing nins, who topped the Bingo book, were chasing them. Yet again, the ever-optimistic ninja swore grimly. His vision was entirely blurred by the fiery barrier of sand. He tightly clutched the scroll to his chest, the emerald eyes burnt in his head. There was something so utterly troubling about having _Sabaku no Gaara_ worried, despite the conflagrating heat, a shiver ran up his spine to his nape.

People often say eyes never lie and how right they were. Naruto could decipher the amalgamation of worry and something akin to guilt residing in those pools of greenness. There was something definitely wrong with this mission and for the first time, Naruto was truly, undeniably _terrified_. Maybe he should inform the bastard what this mission exactly entailed, but every step he took knocked the wind right out of his chest. It felt like gravity was exerting additional force for every breath made him feel at least four hundred pounds heavy. His larynx was in a state of complete draught and the stupid sandstorm was blinding him, rendering all senses futile.

It was stupid. He should have told his captain, no matter how much he loathed him. Now his teammates were nowhere in sight and only Kami-sama knows in what type of calamitous situation they were in. It was _all_ his fault. He fisted the scroll with his sweaty palms. He didn't even know if he was heading in the right direction. The sound of the wind whisked noisily, saturating the air like a screeching banshee.

_No_, they were ANBU. They were trained for dire conditions. The bastard was captain! They were the captain's squad, for crying out loud! A measly sandstorm in enemy territory was not going to defeat them! Everyone, despite Uchiha-teme's relentless rants of how inept they were, was apt enough to take care of themselves. He had no reason whatsoever to worry. Yes, he nodded in zealous determination. He clasped his eyes shut, repeating the mantra of arguments, desperately trying to convince himself.

Then it happened. The blood-curling high-pitched scream abruptly erupted from the midst of the booming clouds of sand. Naruto froze. The scream made Naruto's insides lurch painfully, literally splitting his intestines. The familiar stridulating inhuman octave resounded sickly in his ear, causing Naruto's heart to pound impetuously, threatening to break free of his ribcage.

No. No. Naruto's breath hitched. He couldn't breathe. The goose bumps erupted along his arms, the hair on the back of his neck stood. No. He _couldn't_ breathe. He couldn't move. He couldn't think for he was completely paralyzed with dread. The scream. Sakura. _Sakura_. No. Sakura. In trouble. Because of him. Because of _him_.

Now wasn't the opportune moment to wallow in self-pity. Not here. Not now. He couldn't afford to wallow in apathy. So Naruto, hanging on to the scroll with dear life, ran. He ran with his very last iota of strength. It didn't matter that the faster he ran, the more forcefully the scorching sand lashed at his face. He contorted his face in utter agony, dragging his heavy legs. He could barely stand, aching to the marrow, but he had to keep moving, he had to find Sakura. Save her.

Suddenly a figure appeared before his very eyed. A figure adorned with silky black hair.

"S-sensei?" he croaked wistfully, his voice terribly hoarse.

Naruto realized a little too late that the figure before him wasn't the graceful captain of ANBU, for this person was forming hand seals. This person was _attacking_ him. The fingers moved with a blurring speed. The hand seals were formed at an exponential velocity. No. It couldn't be, but it was. Black cloak. Crimson clouds decorating the silky ebony-colored tissue like a sinister omen. _Akatsuki_.

Before his brain could even register to react, the jutsu hit him. Hard. The impact burnt a hole in his chest. Yet again, he was unable to breathe, the oxygen becoming rare. Suddenly, he was falling.

The scroll. His moist fingers were now coldly numb. Empty. The scroll. Where was it? It had been in his hands mere seconds ago, but it wasn't anymore.

His surroundings were spinning at a dizzying pace. The desultory thoughts bombarded him like a train wreck. His bleary vision captured scarlet eyes with spinning tomoes staring down at him. Strong arms clutched him with certain despair and eagerness. The plush lips of his savior moved but he couldn't decipher the words for the howling wind was echoing deafly in his ears. Somewhere from the back of his mind, he remembered crisply the harrowing scream.

"S-Sakura, the scroll. Gaara said Akat-" he whispered with difficulty, his sore throat making him incapable of forming words.

Then he was falling again as obscurity blanketed his vision like a handicapping blindfold.

XXX

The machines echoed in the same droning fashion. The nameless and faceless nurses and medic-nins occasionally waltzed by, offering weak encouraging smiles or pitiful looks. Others avalanched him in 'hopeful' medical jargon to somehow prove to him that 'everything was alright'. They didn't speak though. They did at first, but promptly stopped after many failed attempts of coercing the boy to leave. The polite but insistent "maybe you could get some rest…?" morphed into violent thwacks on his mop of flaxen hair and blatant curt orders of "Naruto, leave!" courtesy of Tsunade, naturally.

He didn't budge. Like a statue, he remained docilely stationary. His body rigid, his sapphire eyes never once left the sight of the sickly pallor before him. Hoping, wishing, praying to be greeted with angry emeralds once more.

Hinata, face flustered, cheeks rosy and speech stuttering, handed him a lush pillow, her lavender pupil-less eyes fascinated by the whiteness of the floor.

"I-I-it's n-not v-v-very c-comfy-"

"Thank you, Hinata-chan," he interrupted tiredly, a genuine look of gratitude washing over his exhausted and sleep-deprived features.

The young medic-nin turned scarlet before bolting out the room while mumbling incoherently. Naruto lazily propped the pillow on a rather uncomfortable looking armchair, and slouched with much sloth. He stared at the figure before him, lying immobile in all her angelic innocence. Her lips had a bluish taint, her face was ghastly livid, and yet a certain disturbing beauty emanated from her calm figure.

Naruto's mind traveled, his thoughts laden with guilt. The scroll was gone. They had miserably failed the mission. And Sakura. Sakura was injured, was lying in the hospital, and fighting for her life because of him. He stared down miserably at his own bandaged chest. The wound was healing rapidly, though for some reason it was _searing_ him. It was all because of him. Because he was an idiot, a loser, a…

"Dobe."

Naruto looked up and was greeted with the sight of a slightly disheveled Uchiha, who seemed to have gotten about as much sleep as he did. Something was terribly wrong, that much he could sense. His onyx eyes were uncharacteristically frigid. His dark eyes flitted to watch his unconscious student. The machines buzzed peacefully as he surveyed his blond pupil with a calculating gaze.

"You knew," he accused, his acrid voice dripping with venom. He furrowed his brow in unadulterated fury, grinding his teeth audibly.

"Eh?" Naruto whispered, completely bewildered as he proceeded to blink at his teacher. He had no idea whatsoever what his teacher was referring to.

"Your last words. I read your lips, 'Gaara said Akat-'. Akatsuki? What a coincidence that we were attacked by none other than Akatsuki, but you see Uzumaki, I have a hunch that it wasn't quite a coincidence judging by your last words. Am I correct?" the Uchiha interrogated in a pseudo calm manner, which sent shivers of consternation of the flaxen-haired ninja's back. Naruto gulped, attempting to formulate words, but as he opened his mouth, they refused to budge.

"I am right, aren't I?" Sasuke continued, his onyx eyes blazing with deadly furor. "You _fucking_ knew. You stupidly chose to hide such _important_ information from me and now one of my squad member is in the hospital in critical condition, you fucking retard!" he vehemently boomed, fisting his young subordinate's collar and painfully shoving him against the white-washed walls with a harrowing _crack_ resounding throughout the hospital.

Naruto limply washed like an outside spectator as his sensei's eyes turned a dangerous shade of crimson. Why fight back? He deserved everything he got.

"You fucking retard!" Sasuke bellowed once more, his porcelain knuckles crashing violently against Naruto's whiskered face, again, and again, and again… until scarlet tainted his once livid fist. The hand on the collar was released the piece of clothing, and the teenager slid against the wall like a pathetic rag doll.

XXX

End.Of.Chapter.2

Ahh, the plot thickens!

**First of all, millions apologies for being so retarded! I was supposed to be updating chapter _four_ of Disenchanted! Not chapter two! I'm sorry, but it's terribly hard to find the time to _breathe_ let alone update. I hope you can all understand.**

**Second of all, a colossal thanks to everyone who bothered reviewing! _Wow_. 56 reviews! 56 for one chapter- that is amazing. I am dumbfounded, flabbergasted, over the moon with joy! I am so humbled. Lol, as my darling Avy says "it can only go down hill from here". I know I wasn't able to express my thanks individually to everyone who reviewed, so please don't feel offended- it still means a lot to me.**

**Finally, as MayIFall puts it- this story is "bipolar" (though she meant it as a compliment) for the angst. Technically the story is categorized as "angst/humor" and the title doesn't really inspire happiness, eh? Bah, don't worry it's not going to be a intensively dramatic story. **

**Spot errors that my beta failed to notice? Let me know, loves!**

**Praise/Slander/Constructive criticism all welcomed.**

**Peace, Love & Empathy**

**L-word you all.**

**JD!**


	3. Of Burning

DISCLAIMER:

Not mine, 'cause seriously who would _pay_ for such amateurish crap?

Credit to: MayIFall – my forgetful beta :) (spot errors? Let me know loves , though blame it all on her :P)

_You only want three wishes:  
One to fly the heavens  
One to swim like fishes  
You want never bitter  
And all delicious  
And a clean conscience  
And all it's blisses  
You want one true lover with a thousand kisses  
You want soft and gentle and never vicious  
And then one you're saving for a rainy day  
If your lover ever takes her love away_

"_**Three Wishes**_**" by The Pierces **

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER THREE:**

**Of Burning**

**One. Month. Previous. (Still)**

Dry.

Everything was _so dry_. His skin was so dry; it felt like a thousand little needles were prickling his epidermis, flaking off his dehydrated skin cells little by little until only bones remained. Dry sand claimed his mouth as home. He tried coughing up the sand, but no saliva was left in his acrid mouth to do the deed. He closed his eyes, but the sun was scorching his lids, like a magnesium flash piercing through his lids, burning his retina to a crisp. His brain throbbed against his skull in a steady rhythm, the screeching of the grainy air filling his empty head. Dry. So dry, that no amount of water could quench his thirst. No amount of water could fill his starving heart. And _oh_, it was burning! Everything was burning, as though he was floundering in a pool of scalding lava.

Suddenly, hushed and frantic whispers were heard. They seemed so far way, yet paradoxically very near; so near that he could almost…almost…_grasp_ them. He wasn't here, but he wasn't quite _there_ either. Though, he didn't know what or where _there_ was exactly. His consciousness was lingering somewhere amid the land of saccharine dreams and harsh reality, dozing in and out of consciousness and conjuring up some puzzled sense of reality.

"I stopped him," whispered a voice, somewhat reassuringly.

"Yeah? He has to learn to have a _fucking_ ounce of control," boomed a familiar voice…a very familiar voice.

"I'm sure he wouldn't have-"

"What? Brain-damaged him? Gave him a concussion? _Murdered_ him? He beat him to a bloody pulp for fuck's sake!" ground out a voice; the fury oozing from every timber.

"And Naruto is very well capable of defending himself. Especially since Uchiha was only punching. No jutsus involved," remarked the male voice in deathly seriousness. Naruto. Naruto… It sounded…It was almost at the tip of his tongue. _Narut…Naru-to…_

"What are you implying?" hissed the feminine voice, in an intimidating calmness.

"I am saying that perhaps Naruto let him-"

"Why on Earth would he do that?" Incredulity and…something else…something like… _fear_. Yes, she was afraid. He could hear it; the shadow rooted in her voice, the product of fear. For such a powerful woman, she was so very afraid. Afraid of…_what_?

"Why else? Guilt. The only thing capable of _eating you from the inside_. Did you not see how he was obsessing over Sakura?" the wise man replied casually, a hint of profound insight hidden in his strong voice.

"Not see? _Not see?_ Damn it, Kakashi! For the past few days it has been all I have been thinking about!" the woman admitted, her voice cracking ever so slightly. There it was again, the fear; the pain as though…she was inches away from losing someone close to her heart. Yes, the shadow in her voice that rendered her into a broken little girl. "For a captain to-"

There was a sudden hot flash that blinded him-_like a magnesium flash piercing through his lids, burning his retina to a crisp_. Why…why was it so _hot_?

"I know. Uchiha has been warned, Hokage-sama. His behavior will not be taken lightly. It was uncalled for, _but_ the boy withheld important, consequential information. One of his squad is in critical condition. I understand Sasuke's rage," the calm man replied in an assuaging manner. Slowly, the twirls of torridity churning in his stomach mollified, the waves of pain smoothing down. _Uchiha…Sasuke_…he knew that name. _Naru…Naruto_… he knew him. Yes, yes, he was certain. _Nar…_

The whispers abruptly died down. He could feel it, the presence of another lading the air with tension.

"Hokage-sama, Kakashi-san, I don't mean to interrupt, but can you guys take this elsewhere? I wish to be alone to…" the voice trailed off.

He could decipher feet shuffling, clothes ruffling and somewhere about the time the burning ceased, it all started to make sense.

"Oh, and Sai?" called out a gruff voice.

"Mhmm?" came the casual reply.

"If there is _any_ change, let me know A.S.A.P." It was the woman, the one who feared.

"Of course, Hokage-sama," the male voice replied dutifully.

As the door shut, he could almost sense the change in atmosphere. The man _or was it a woman_ sighed…The air decompressed and then…

"Hey, sleeping beauty, I know you're awake so you might as well open you eyes."

Naruto groggily cracked one eye open, almost as though the simple action of waking up required all the effort in the world. In the midst of disorientation, Naruto rubbed the sleep from his bloodshot eyes as Sai snickered amusedly at his predicament.

"You're in deep shit, dickless," declared his ever so tactless friend.

Naruto tried to glare, but the task was a miserable failure, what with the overbearing fatigue threatening to drown him into a blissful catatonic sleep.

"I'm dying, can't you even try to be nice," his voice rasped out painfully, biting his lip as a mild scorching birthed in his guts, slowly ebbing his willpower, slowly grinding his sanity.

"You're not dying. You wish you were dying because you don't have the balls to face Sensei's wrath… or anything else for that matter," sniggered his friend, leaning against the wall for support in a poised fashion, one leg gracefully toppling over the other.

"The penis jokes are becoming real old," Naruto muttered softly, his eyes drooping shut at the promise of oblivion.

Sai simply stared at his teammate for a good moment, an indecipherable look plastered on his face. His dark eyes swallowed the sight of his limp friend sprawled on sheets of immaculate whites, calculating, evaluating and slowly plotting out his next move. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for what was to come.

"She's awake."

There. _Done_. He said with as much nonchalance as he could pull off, and watched with dreading sense of foreboding as big blue eyes widened. The sleep evanesced from sight in a heartbeat as Naruto clumsily sprang off of bed at once. With trembling steps, he walked towards the door, the sickly determination blazing in his eyes.

"Whoa, calm down there," Sai said, forcibly pushing his stubborn friend towards the rigid mattress. "Let her rest, the last thing she needs is waking up to you fawning over her like some overbearing mother hen," he added with a touch of sarcasm, as Naruto weakly collapsed onto the bed. Bright cerulean eyes promised death and Sai carelessly shrugged it off.

"Look, she's healing ok? This whole shit is undeniably your fault. No point in lying about it. You made a mistake, a stupid one, but you're human, so shut up about it. You make me want to puke," he added, smiling for some inexplicable reason at the end as he threw the covers on Naruto's seemingly vegetative body.

Bright cerulean eyes softened momentarily, a stupid smile playing on purpled lips.

"A-are you trying to…_console_ me?"

Sai looked away, stuffing his hands in his pockets, looking generally bored of this entire situation as Naruto was left puzzled. He didn't know it he should be outraged by Sai's characteristic uncensored bluntness or flattered by the ninja's awkward attempt at friendly reassurance.

"I want to see her," Naruto said adamantly after a moment laden with silence fluttered away. He clutched the snowy sheets in tight fists, a blind and earnest determination burning through him.

The black-haired ninja sighed, admittedly confused about his teammate's quirky antics.

"And what? Apologize profusely for your stupidity? So you can breathe better? What happened, happened. What's the point in dwelling?" he asked, clearly not seeing the point in re-hatching what he considered old news.

"The point? _What's the point_?" Naruto repeated, incredulity washing over him like a tsunami. "The point is Sakura-chan almost _died_," he said, stressing on the last word as if it held the key to the universe. How could Sai not see the gravity of the situation? How the world stopped revolving? How they were inches away from a bottomless cliff? How the flirted so dangerously with death?

"Will words really change that?" Sai asked, boring his eyes, dark meeting bright sapphires. The concept of apology was foreign to him. "She needs to recuperate and so do you. Leave her be."

Yet the sapphire eyes continued their silent tirade, their quiet revolution, which exasperated Sai to no end.

"Have you forgotten? We're ANBU. We're _trained to die_."

Just like that, the words died at the tip of his tongue. There was so much he wanted to say, needed to say to stop his heart from imploding. There were so many emotions churning in the pit of his stomach and the burning tinge didn't help his situation one bit. He couldn't even identify the cluster of desultory thoughts claiming his mind as home. One thing was undeniably and irrefutably true. Kakashi-sensei was right. Guilt really did _eat you from the inside_. He could feel the venom disintegrate his insides slowly, painfully.

Silence was quite uncanny for Naruto, Sai mused. He didn't like it and for some foolish reason he suddenly urged to fill it with something, _anything_. Be it mundane, frivolous things…maybe another jibe at his penis. He couldn't stand seeing Naruto, normally such a boisterous and lively young man, deplete to such a disheartened state. Sai quickly realized though that in situations such as these, he was completely bewildered. So the seconds passes as Sai struggled to awkwardly liven up the mood. It was something that he never had struggled with before because he was never really sensitive to what kind of _mood_ was thickening the atmosphere. Usually, he was immune to insignificant things like _tension_, so where such thoughts plaguing him now? Amidst his internal debate, Naruto's hoarse voice broke the silence, resonating in the room.

"Sai, listen, I-I want- I just need to rest, ok?" he said, mustering up a weak smile.

"Right," Sai murmured, slightly relieved to flee from this mental dilemma.

"Sai," Naruto said, almost longingly.

"Mhmm?" Sai inquired, at the threshold of the door.

"I'd appreciate it if, well, if the old hag asks just-"

"Yeah, I won't tell her you're up."

As odd as it was, somehow it was reassuring that Sai- of all people, the one without an iota of common social skills, understood him, to a certain degree at least.

"Thanks," he whispered, staring at the ashen ceiling. No, he wasn't tired and in different circumstances he might have felt a bit guilty for getting rid of his friend, but today was peculiar. There was a different type of guilt humming inside his chest, clawing for attention.

XXX

It took quite a bit of maneuvering, but he wasn't dubbed Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja for no reason. It had taken a lot of effort, a lot of spur-in-the-moment decisions and a little bit of luck, but he finally made it.

When the genin assigned as his guard came to check up on him, he tapped into his Uzumaki acting skills and proceeded to fake a coughing spell. The show might have been halfway convincing, if he didn't crack an eye open to evaluate the genin's reaction every five coughs. Either the boy was an idiot or just scared shitless of the Hokage, who might inflict bodily harm if her orders were not followed, but the poor sap ran to find a nurse or a medic-nin. This, of course, gave Naruto the perfect opportunity to slip out of his room. Except he didn't quite realize exactly how _many_ guards were patrolling the neighboring corridors.

'_Stupid paranoid baa-chan_,' he muttered bitterly, as he squeaked when a certain poor sap of a genin found him and started chasing after him. Naruto had just gained consciousness a few hours ago for the love of holy ramen. Why the hell was this genin trying to _tackle_ him? And so, Naruto hauled ass, after all, he was a supernaturally fast healer. He spent the next hour befriending soggy mops in the _very narrow_ janitor's closet as he evaluated when it might be safe to get out and tried not to think about how the walls seemed to be closing in on him and stealing his very meager supply of air. He wondered how long it would be before they discovered his asphyxiated pale pathetic ass in this death trap. Eventually, he got out only to walk into a frail old lady. Said frail old lady proceeded to shrill out obscenities about the 'careless youth' and 'disrespect for elders'.

'_Frail, my ass,' _Naruto thought caustically, as a certain genin seemed overly relieved to see him.

So, Naruto hauled ass. Again.

The little dance continued for about an hour, when finally Naruto decided to turn his heels and grin charmingly. The little genin broke into a sweat at the uncharacteristic niceness from the previously very hostile Naruto.

"My, my, you're such a fast little genin. You're so… fast. I am…impressed with you're… speed?" Naruto flirted hesitantly, his bright smile never once faltering

Now, finally as he stood here, contemplating the wooden door that somehow seemed much more imposing now more than ever, his mouth tasted like ass, probably from all the ass kissing that ensued. Just as the number one, unpredictable ninja was contemplating running away, an authoritative voice piped through the door.

"Are you going to stand outside all day like some creepy stalker or are you going to come inside?"

Naruto gulped and mustered up every last once of courage, preparing for his precocious death as he entered the forsaken room, blanching.

"H-how?" he asked weakly, staring at the white uniform tiled pattern on the floor.

"I have special powers," she smiled weakly.

Naruto looked up, shock marring his features as he mentally tried to conjure up a list of what bloodline limit Sakura could possibly have…

"It was a joke, stupid. I could see your feet shuffling nervously and your shadow from the bottom slit in the door," she told him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, ha, I knew that," Naruto mumbled, the words somehow lacking much sincerity as he stared at his best friend.

She looked fragile, as though she was made of glass and at any moment she could shatter in a thousand little pieces. There were purple bags of fatigue underneath her eyes, aging her to at least half a century. Her skin was so livid, that her prominent veins gave her a bluish sickly hue. And it was his fault. It was all his fault. He didn't want to bring it up and break the serene enchantment that had settled amongst the buzzing of the machines. Naruto would have never deemed himself as a coward, but at this very moment he wanted nothing better than to crawl into a hole in a ground and never come out.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked, probing gently.

Green eyes were filled with concern and Naruto couldn't hold it any longer.

"I-I'm sorry," Naruto spluttered pathetically, not able to hold her gaze. "I-"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sakura cut him curtly, her tone was harsh and unforgiving, yet her eyes seemed almost like they were pleas ding, begging him not to tread into enemy territory. Words dying on his lips, Naruto willed himself to clamp his mouth shut.

"H-how are you feeling?" he asked, after a moment of insecure silence.

Sakura smiled weakly, playing with her lean porcelain fingers.

"Oh, you know, like I've just woken from a coma," she flashed a curious smile and the bile rose at the back of Naruto's throat. He didn't know whether he should be laughing or really bawling like a pathetic, little, school girl.

"How about you? Oh," the pink-haired medic-nin frowned slightly, her eyes devouring the sight of a bruised Naruto. "What happened?" she demanded with the coldness of an unforgiving mother reprimanding her troublesome son.

"It'll heal," Naruto answered, lazily swatting the air uncaringly.

"That is not what I asked," she said frigidly, the embers of anger sparking.

Frankly, Naruto didn't really care much to supply her an answer. If there were unspoken forbidden territories for Sakura, then the same rules applied to him.

"I have no manners. I should have brought you some cherry blossoms! I can't believe I showed up empty-handed!" the young ninja exclaimed, brows furrowed in deep thought.

"I don't get why everything is a secret with you," she whispered softly, so softly, _too_ softly. It wasn't meant to be heard. Perhaps, Naruto didn't even hear her soft plea, because he began boisterously talking about finally being back home. Sakura wasn't even listening, only catching snippets of "the food just isn't the same and". While her glazed eyes followed his rapid lip movement, she concluded that Naruto probably hadn't heard her, but why did his eyes betray some sadness?

That is when the door flew open, revealing the taut face of Tsunade-sama and an apologetic Shizune at her heels.

"Brat, _why_ aren't you in bed?" she hissed, looking murderous.

Naruto gulped audibly. Apparently, the old had didn't have a modicum of empathy for her bedridden patients.

"I-I just-" the flaxen-haired ninja began miserably.

"I wanted to see him. It's my fault," Sakura supplied, an easy smile splayed on her amethyst lips.

Sakura inwardly shivered as amber eyes swiveled to study her underling. Their uncanny ability to pierce through the treacherous human heart always did scare her. If Tsunade did in fact see through the girl's clumsy lie, she didn't say anything and went back to glaring at Naruto who was throwing Sakura a suspiciously, grateful smile.

"Follow me," she commanded, seething. No pet names. No juvenile insults. Just a simple command from a Hokage to her subordinate. She whisked around, assuming the young man would be at her heels.

Naruto spluttered, dread kneading knots in his stomach as Shizune threw him a half-hearted reassuring smile, the type a dental hygienist would offer a patient moments before the endodontist came in to perform a root canal.

They marched wordlessly among the labyrinth of pristine white corridors, Tsunade's five inch heels mercilessly assaulting the glossy floor, it was like a sinister omen. Naruto followed reluctantly, his mind conjuring up at least a half a dozen self preservation plans, one crazier than the next, before quickly dismissing them. Maybe if he jumped through the window, his brains won't splatter on the concrete? It was only the 29th floor. Or perhaps he could take a kunai and make a small slit in his arm to insert a morphine drip into his veins and feign an overdose? What if he went up against Tsunade? Sure, he couldn't match her in brute strength, but if he had enough shadow clones and summoned Gamabunta he could surely defeat the Hokage…right? The young ninja hung his head in defeat. It was certain. If Akatsuki and Sasuke failed to off him, great lady Tsunade will undeniably finish the job in all her wicked sadism.

A door was forcefully yanked open- it was a wonder that it was still hinged. The temperature in the room plummeted as Naruto walked in, nervously scratching the back of his head. Sapphire blue locked into dark ebony. Oh shit! _I'mgonnadie! I'mgonnadie! I'mgonnadie! I'mgonnadie! __I'mgonnadie! I'mgonnadie!gonnadiediediediedie_.

Indifference was quickly replaced with unadulterated fury; Uchiha-sensei was a wild, untamable, voracious animal on the verge of jumping his student, and not in the erotic, sexual manner that would have perverts swooning and hemorrhaging. No, it was more akin to a lion jumping an impala and shredding it to crimson pieces of dislodged flesh, stuck in between its honed canines. Naruto was going to _die_.

Kakashi-sensei sat in the far corner of the room, crouched on the window ledge, and over-eager smile camouflaged by his mask crinkling his features.

"Now Naruto-kun, no need to worry. No on here wants to blame you."

Cue for Uchiha to growl viciously and Naruto to choke down a very girlish yelp.

_I am a ninja. I am NOT weak. So not, not weak._

"Do don't worry Naruto-kun, you're not on trial. Have a seat," he gestured towards the empty seat at the long dilapidated squeaking table. "No one will hurt you, ne, Sasuke-kun?" he added good-humoredly, throwing him a knowing glance.

Sasuke simple gave Naruto a soul-withering glare, which caused the blonde ninja to shudder.

_Fuck this. I _am_ weak! I accept it. Now, I must run! Run! Run!_

As Naruto's cowardly mind urged him to save his pretty posterior while he still can, his legs slowly, but steadily made their way to the assigned chair. He gulped, the dreaded cloud of doom lingering over him.

"I would like to state that any abuse amongst ninjas of any ranking," Tsunade bellowed coldly, murdering the captain of ANBU with her fiery amber eyes, "will _not_ be tolerated."

"Does that mean you will no longer hit me?" Naruto piped up, hope flooding his being.

"Do not speak unless you want to be beheaded, boy," she supplied in pseudo–calmness, gnawing her teeth together in badly suppressed rage.

"Am I clear, captain?" she asked in a tone that promised homicide.

"Why of course, _Hokage-sama_," Sasuke said, the venom dripping in his voice as he pressed his lips in a thin line.

Naruto watched with mute fascination as the duo continued to glare at each other in some form of quiet struggle for dominance, while Kakashi's eye lit up with delight.

"Well?" the blonde-haired woman asked through gritted teeth, her arms crossed around her massive bust.

"Well, what?" the captain asked dumbly, his ebony eyes blazing. At this point, he began to see a prominent vein on Tsunade's delicate forehead begin to throb.

"She is expecting you to apologize, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi informed encouragingly him, his eye twinkling.

"Apologize to who?" the ebony-haired young man asked with disinterest, insisting on playing coy. The little green vein on the Hokage's forehead was playing castanets with her skull.

"To Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun. You know, for trying to murder him?" the grey-haired ninja replied, motioning to the slightly agitated Naruto.

"Oh, well I was only returning the favor," Sasuke calmly answered, which only seemed to fuel Naruto's ire.

No longer was the young blond ninja afraid. He jumped on the table in one sweep and pointed an accusing finger at his unreasonable teacher.

"I wasn't trying to _kill_ you, you bastard!" he howled angrily.

"Really? That could have fooled me, what with planning an Akatsuki ambush on us," Sasuke spoke in all serenity, yet his dark eyes ignited with rage.

"What are you retarded? I didn't plan the fucking ambush!" yelled Naruto, resisting the urge to bash his sensei's head in the old moldy table over and over again.

"Of course you didn't. You don't have enough brain cells in that puny little head to plan such a thing, but you knew about it. Same thing," the Uchiha answered astringently.

"How is that even remotely the same?" Naruto bellowed, scrunching up his face as he tried and failed miserably to understand the pig-head's logic. " I only knew that there _might_ be a chance of an attack!"

"And yet you failed to notify me. It's the same as treason. Hokage-sama, behead the boy," Sasuke commanded easily with much arrogance and from the corner of his eye, he could distinguish the vein pulsating violently.

"I was under fucking oath! Gaara-"

"The Kazekage has no authority on you," the Uchiha retorted curtly.

"I know, you fucking bastard! Can you stop reminding me every second of my fucking life! You think I don't _know_ what I did? You think I don't know the consequences of my inaction? You think that it isn't haunting me every fucking second of my life?" Naruto ground out in agony, his eyes pleading desperately to be understood. In moments like these, Naruto seemed older, almost like the weight of the world was slowly killing him.

"Great, the boy is suffering. Give him a fucking medal," Sasuke replied caustically, rolling his eyes.

"You are such a dick. I _fucking_ hate you," Naruto seethed through gritted teeth, the hatred oozing from his every pore.

"The feeling is more than mutual," Sasuke hissed, clenching his fists until his knuckles blanched.

"Now kiddies, play nice," Kakashi interjected, trying and most likely failing to assuage the duo's ire for they threw him a murderous glare.

"I don't recall hearing a proper apology," the Hokage cut in bitterly, the vein on her delicate forehead only seeming to increase in size.

Naruto was silently fuming in his corner, with his arms crossed petulantly and pouting in a very childish manner.

"He can take it and shove i-"

"What did I say about you and talking?" the blonde-haired medic-nin hissed impatiently, her vein on the verge of exploding.

This reprimand of course caused Sasuke to smile smugly as Naruto huffed indignantly at being chastised in front of the bastard.

"_Uchiha_!" Tsunade growled out ferociously, increasingly finding it difficult to come up with good reasons why _not_ to kill her captain.

"What?" Sasuke asked dryly, which earned him a soul-withering glare from the Hokage. Sasuke flinched and exhaled deeply, the unwholesome feeling that he was selling his soul to the devil himself plaguing his mind.

"Dobe I'm s…" Sasuke contorted his face, as he swallowed something vile coming up his larynx. "I'msorry," he murmured in a rushed manner.

"Naruto accepts the apology," Tsunade declared in all seriousness, causing the incredulous blond ninja to splutter disbelievingly. "Now that that's settled you are both deprived of missions. For a month."

"Eh?" Naruto squeaked, eyes bulging out of his orbs.

"I refuse," Sasuke calmly, but firmly replied.

"Well that's too bad because it's Hokage's order," she said, smiling smugly at the seething Uchiha.

"And pray tell me, _dearest_ Hokage-sama, what am I supposed to do for a whole month?" Sasuke inquired, gnawing his teeth and his nails dug into the old, musty table.

"Training. A captain's squad should be tightly bonded. Work on your teamwork," Kakashi clarified, all mirth disappearing from his dark eye.

Naruto glowered at his once sensei with all the wrath he could muster. _Stupid Kakashi-sensei preaching about stupid teamwork…_

"Now, brat, what exactly did the Kazekage tell you?" the medic-nin probed, effectively switching subjects.

When she was only met with silence, her relaxed blood vessel resumed its previous activity, her patience wearing thin.

"Well?" she yelled in exasperation.

"Oh, I can speak now?" Naruto answered, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Sasuke silently sniggered as Tsunade's face morphed from exasperation to homicide.

"Must not pulverize future Hokage. Must not pulverize future Hokage," she muttered underneath her breath, the litany proving to be of little help. It would be a miracle if by the end of the day she could return home, aneurysm-free.

"Nothing really. He just told me to hold on to the scroll and that Akatsuki were after-"

"Kyuubi," Kakashi finished, giving Tsunade a knowing look. "I figured as much."

"What was in the scroll?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Nothing that concerns any of you eggheads," the Sannin quipped, an eerie smile on her plush pink lips.

Naruto glared, but it seemed the old hag was immune to his clumsy efforts.

"Now, Uchiha, brat leave the premises before I decide to-"

"Yes, yes, somehow inflict horrendous pain on us. Sadistic old hag that feels pleasure by kicking dogs," Naruto muttered bitterly, as he got up and made his way to the door.

"What was that, gaki?" Tsunade inquired, flaring amber eyes promising death.

"N-nothing," Naruto stuttered, promptly slipping out of the room.

"He called you a sadistic old hag that feels pleasure by kicking dogs," Sasuke offered as response, smirking wickedly and speaking louder than necessary so that Naruto could hear him.

"Now, now Sasuke-kun. See? Teammates aren't supposed to tattletale," Kakashi reprimanded playfully.

"Too bad that Uzumaki isn't my teammate, but my subordinate," Sasuke countered haughtily.

"Two months," Kakashi declared with his crinkled, crescent eye gleaming with glee and Sasuke, if it was even possible, blanched further.

XXX

"Oi, Sai," Naruto greeted half-heartedly when he reached his room.

"Why are you up?" he asked disinterestedly, getting up from his poised position against the wall.

"I need a drink. Now. You coming?" Naruto asked, not bothering to answer his friend, nor even look in his direction as he walked past him and towards the exit.

"Mhmm, you're paying," Sai said, happily following a now irate Naruto through the revolving doors.

XXX

"Maaahhh! Saaakkke!" boomed the middle-aged man in greedy appreciation as the bartender placed his order before him. Appraising the drink with the eye of a true connoisseur, a goofy puerile smile washed over his face. "Ohhh, so good," he breathed out to no one in particular, roughly nudging his companion who was secretly roasting him with his homicidal eyes.

"Kakashi," gritted out the young man, seconds away from fingering his kunai and slitting the older man's scrotum in all sadistic gory.

"Mhmm?" Kakashi asked in feigned innocence that made Sasuke futilely try to repress his violent surges.

"I don't know how you ever convinced me to come here," he mumbled to himself, rolling his eyes and hitting his head against the island.

"Well, with Tsunade threatening your job, of course! Have some sake! Loosen up, Sasuke! You have two months of nothingness awaiting you," the grey-haired man rambunctiously babbled, chugging his drink.

"Swell," the Uchiha quipped acerbically, contemplating how on Earth had he gone from being the prodigious captain of ANBU to some about-to-be drunkard in a dingy bar.

"Oh, barrrtteeendeeeer!" Kakashi piped in a shrilly-singsong voice. "Some scotch for my prissy, uptight friend here," he said, wrapping a lazy arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

"We're not friends," the raven-haired man said in annoyance, his eyes twitching as he peeled off the unwanted appendage from him.

"Oh? Really? But friends buy each other drinks, and you were so generous to pay for the night," Kakashi continued to spiel mirthfully.

"I never agreed to-"

"I get it," Kakashi cut him brusquely, the joy dying in his eye.

Sasuke had to stare at the man for a good minute and a half as though he had grown a second head. He had always found Kakashi's ability to suddenly, and without warning, jump moods a bit unwholesome. So Sasuke waited patiently for Kakashi to continue so he could perhaps understand the reason for this bout of bipolarity.

"I get it. Why you're so hard on him. On them all, but on him especially," he said seriously, dark eye scrutinizing the younger male.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Sasuke muttered when his scotch arrived and quickly took a burning swig.

"Oh, but I do, Sasuke. He made a mistake. He is only human. The kid is entitled to make mistakes," he spoke with a timber of authority in his voice, reminding Sasuke that he was older and far wiser than the captain. Sasuke hated the way he was looking at him, like a father reasoning his stubborn child.

"Not when human lives are involved! Not when he's next in line as our fucking leader! Every little mistake, every puny mishap, every minute overlooked detail is lethal! You should know that, Kakashi. You would _all_ know that if you weren't so dazed by his so-called charm and so absorbed with dubbing him your Golden Boy," Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his hair, as the rage mounted inside his chest, incensing his heart rapidly.

"What are you insinuating?" Kakashi asked slowly in a cold, harsh tone.

"I am insinuating nothing. I am saying it clearly and bluntly. The moron somehow manage to charm Hokage-sama with his blundering idiocies about dreams and suddenly he's her favorite," Sasuke retorted bitterly, taking another swig of his scotch to drown the numbing in his chest.

"Sasuke, for such a prodigy, you sure are an idiot," Kakashi said simply, his dark eye mollifying.

"What are _you_ insinuating?" Sasuke countered indignantly.

"When did you become so blind? When did your stupid childish envy get in the way of your reasoning? You of all people should know, should have seen his growth. He didn't become the Captain's subordinate due to charm. And I highly doubt you would have agreed to have a blundering idiot on your team," the grey-haired ninja spoke gently, his dark eyes piercing through Sasuke's façade. It was annoying how well Kakashi could see read him so carelessly, so easily. Sasuke's left eye started to twitch as his elder's word sunk into him. He hated it when the loon started making sense.

"He wasn't born a prodigy, Sasuke. The kid worked hard. Sweat, blood and tears. Honing his skills with painstaking agony. Every achievement, the kid merited. He _deserves_ to be next in line. That is not to say that he is not flawed. Mistakes are human, and it is unfair for you to hold such unrealistic standards for him. He made a mistake. He learned from it, but even as a future leader, he is just a man," Kakashi continued solemnly and Sasuke refused to fill the silence. He simply stared at the amber liquid, lost in thought. Something inside his chest constricted painfully. He felt like a child, lost and confused in the big scary world. Where had his control gone? Why were mere words having such a numbing effect on him? It must be the alcohol…

"I know, Sasuke, deep down inside you have high hopes for the boy, which is why you reign over your squad with an iron fist. You want them to succeed. You want them to be prepared and so you go about it as a cold-hearted prick. I get it. But, damn it, Sasuke, punching him senseless isn't going to help him grow as a ninja, as a leader."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sasuke considered numbly saying something, denying such accusations, but he was too transfixed with the way the dim light was reflecting in his drink.

"I know you see it too.," Kakashi said slowly, weighing his words. Sasuke flinched under the harsh scrutiny. He wanted him to stop. He didn't want him to keep going, to keep speaking for a part of him was unreasonably afraid that he might be speaking the truth.

"That light in him. You see it too."

XXX

IMPORTANT:

Kudos to the totality of three people who read the first three words at the beginning of last chapter. One Month Previous? Chapter two along with this one are both set a month before, meaning Naruto isn't pregnant yet. It also means that Sasuke can abuse him as much as he want without endangering the nonexistent baby :)

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you darlings brighten my days. **

**Thanks to nudd for the constructive criticism. I'll try my best to improve.**

**Also, I would like to give a big shout out to ****Nine1991****, a terribly sweet darling who always loves to spoil me with big lengthy full of praises reviews that I do not deserve. You should all go check out her story "The Art of Fabrication"- her writing **_**flows **_**and she never fails to depict an utterly beautiful portrait. She also respects the characterizations so perfectly, you would think it's straight out of the manga; the girl deserves a medal. She is a sweetheart, now go pester her to update. It's been **_**soooooooooo **_**long!**

**Ah hem… Feedback? Maybe?**


	4. Losing It or Giving It Away

**Disclaimer: NOT MY COOKIES!!!! (characters not mine either. Insert weeping.)**

_Angels say they can make you suffer_

_They give and take like a vicious lover_

_When all this loses meaning_

_You'll never want it back somehow_

_Awake, but still I'm dreaming_

_And never waking up…_

_Alone…_

_Where I'm not Alone._

"_**Neverending White Lights**_**" by The Grace**

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

**Losing It or Giving It Away**

**_**

**One. Month. Previous. (Still)**

Naruto was confused.

You see, despite his zealously compassionate nature and uncanny ability to empathize with all those around him, there were certain concepts that plagued the human heart that remained a complete mystery to him. For example, Naruto never once struggled with who he was, with his identity. He never spent countless hours brooding over that silly question. His sense of self was so inherently strong that he had always just known- who he was, what he wanted to become and perhaps the one question that eluded even the best of us- _why_: the reason behind his actions, the reason behind his dreams. Naruto… he just _knew_. And despite the presence of what was inside his body and his early insecurities, he had always known that it- the monster, the demon, the ugly thing inside his head- was a separate entity. It was inherently a part of him, but it was separate. That logic had always made sense to him; that logic had always been flawless; that logic kept him sane in the darkest nights.

Sometimes though even the most perfect logic left room for faltering when somethingdisturbingly powerful shook the foundation on which it stood. Like Naruto, for instance, realized that he had a very different kind of monster inside him- one not so separate from him. This one was inadvertently capable of instigating ample harm in all those he loved most. His demon: his Recklessness.

He was no longer a child. He realized this with a pang of nostalgia. Gone were the days of his lovesick childhood. Gone were the days he spent pining to make it as a genin with a certain disturbing desperation. Gone were the days of running his mouth off about becoming the Hokage. Somewhere between the years that followed his graduation, he had grown up. It had been a subtle, gradual change, but a change nonetheless. He had grown up. He was a member of the ANBU now. Gone were the days of innocence, and naïve romantic childhood. He had _power_ now. Power to defend. Power to hurt. Power to destroy lives. Power to kill enemies. Power to kill human beings. Power to _end a life_. And he had… he had… a few days ago, he had…

Sakura. His childhood friend. Her life in his hands. Her carefree smile, her bright eyes. Her life eclipsing. Her spirit dissipating. Her life. In _his_ hands.

All because there was a monster inside his head- one instigated by stupidity and carelessness.

So, Naruto wasn't one to spend endless hours contemplating his life and his actions. He never once brooded about trying to desperately label who he was and what he had become- but every rule, even those forged in iron, had its exceptions.

XXX

Sai blankly stared at his usually chipper best friend drown his sorrows with some very cheap sake and sigh for the umpteenth time. A turf of flaxen was sprawled on the table; eyes screwed shut, face hidden behind hands. Sai sighed, stared, and casually poked the creature beside him- someone had to pay for his drinks, though Naruto could go drown in his puke after that.

"Unn go mamay! M-mow!" grunted the slobbery thing.

"You are the one who invited me here," Sai reasoned somberly, sipping his sake like it was some tasteful classy drink and not the overly cheap liquor it actually was.

Naruto banged his head repeatedly on the counter, grunting like some pathetic pitiful thing. Sai paid him no heed, trying to focus on his drink, but after a few moments, he decided that perhaps he should try again. After all, it would be a tragedy if on top of having to somehow get a piss-drunk Naruto home, he would have to pay for both of their numerous drinks.

"If you puke, you'll drown in it," Sai commented off-handedly (and a bit too cheerfully), taking another sip of his diluted drink.

"Good!" Naruto mumbled dejectedly.

Sai stared at his bitter drink and at his stinky slob of a friend. Naruto has gotten pretty stealthy in the last few years as an ANBU. Sai fixed the amber liquid again. Then again, he _is_ pretty intoxicated. What were the odds that Naruto could catch him and castrate him if he suddenly ran for it? Naruto sighed once more, resuming the bashing his head on the table repeatedly.

Okay, Sai might not be a genius when it came to human emotions, but he was guessing the boy was… unhappy. Maybe Naruto would want to… _talk_ about it. Yes. Then he would be bubbly and cheery, and whip out his toady wallet and pay for the drinks!

"Are you still sulking over Sakura?" Sai asked with some cool disinterest, his eyes swilling about the bar, scanning the small fume-filled dump.

Naruto, naturally, did not deign to answer. Instead, at being reminded about Sakura, started beating his head more forcefully on the table, eliciting concerned stares from the other customers.

"Or maybe…" Sai wondered out loud, his dark eyes lighting up upon falling on a peculiarly funny sight. Oh yes. Tonight would definitely be fun, Sai decided.

"Is it _someone_ else you're sulking over?" he questioned further, a tinge of amusement in his voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto bit out, a foreboding shiver seizing him. He decided that he did not like that tone one bit. There was something so eerily wrong about _Sai_ being _amused_. Even with his considerably slowed mental capacities, alarm bells shrilled in his head.

"Mhmm, ohhhh. Nothing, nothing," Sai laughed soundlessly, his eyes trailing to a fly buzzing about. It flew by his head, buzzing happily.

He finally smacked the persistent fly on the back of Naruto's head, which elicited a particular feral growl and a string of curses from his friend- though again, his actions were probably motivated by the sadistic pleasure he got from hitting Naruto than by friendliness.

"Hey Naruto," Sai lulled in his drink.

"Wha?" Naruto drawled, trying to glare at Sai, but only resulting in dizzying himself as he ended up staring at his nose.

"Sometimes I wonder," Sai stated simply, a ghost of a smile creeping on his lips.

"Good for you," Naruto mumbled, now glaring at his nose. Evil nose placing itself right where he couldn't see!

"Sometimes I wonder about us- about when we were younger. Do you think we would be so different if we knew then what we knew now?" Sai uncharacteristically blurted out in a sudden bout of seriousness.

"I- m-maybe… eh?" Naruto spluttered, successfully ceasing to stare at his nose.

"We changed."

"No, _durr_! We grew up!" Naruto spasmodically exclaimed, bringing his face suddenly so close to Sai's, although this did not disturb the latter in the least bit.

"Your breath smells like hobo piss," his best friend remarked matter-of-factly.

"You fucking ass-"

"And then we didn't," Sai stated again, interrupting the vulgar blond. He was smiling as though he were far away- maybe lost in some fond memory that eluded Naruto.

"Huh?" he asked, contorting his face dumbly.

"We didn't change."

Sai licked his lips and elegantly swirled his small glass of sake.

Naruto stared at the amber liquid. Swirling, swirling, swirling. The dim lights shone on the dilute sake- almost, _almost_ making it look mystical.

"W-we didn't?" he asked quietly, mesmerized by the turning, tumbling liquid. Falling, falling, falling.

"We didn't," someone whispered softly- probably Sai, but Naruto couldn't be too sure because the sake was suddenly looking real pretty.

"Yeah, I guess we didn't," Naruto agreed, frowning- though without knowing why he was frowning or saddened by this fact. "We changed, but we didn't," he nodded, as if this statement made all the sense in the world; as if, now, the universe was a better place because Naruto had revealed some profound, coveted secret.

"Exactly," Sai added, nodding complacently as though he just finished delivering a brilliant irrefutable argument.

"Swell," Naruto nodded once more, vehemently.

"Do you remember? What I used to call you?" Sai suddenly asked, dark eyes staring fixedly at Naruto, making him feel uncomfortable, making him realize people could see him, judge him, strip him.

It took a moment for Naruto to register that Sai had asked him a question and was expecting an answer.

"Uhh… dickless? Without penis? Ball-less? Girly Man? Short Rod? Little stick? Bonaparte Prick?" Naruto listed, fidgeting underneath Sai's intense gaze.

"No, no. Before."

He was doing that again- that _smiling_ thing, and it was getting on Naruto's nerves. It made Naruto feel weird; warm and heavy at the same time, like he was not privy to some juicy secret.

"B-Before?"

Shit. He was stuttering.

"Mhmm… yeah, before," Sai whispered melodiously.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Why was his face so close? Naruto stared at his face, but only ended up glaring at his nose and _fuck_- that made his head dizzy, and… hadn't he been down that road before?

"I… no," he mumbled, closing his eyes against the sudden acute headache, which was impaling his capacity to think.

Sai smiled creepily, greatly amused by all of Naruto's antics.

"Really? Are you sure?" Sai asked, smiling blindly. "Mister Pussyface?" he whispered almost seductively, causing Naruto to choke on his saliva.

"W-what did you say?" Naruto asked, alarmed as he continued to splutter disbelievingly.

"Pus-Sy. Fa-Ce," his dark-haired friend made a point of enunciating each word, a ravenous smile on his lips- an ominous sign for everyone concerned.

"N-no!" was all Naruto could illogically yell out in utter horror, his face aghast, as he was flooded with unwelcomed memories.

"Oh? You don't remember? I'm surprised you could forget. After all, it wasn't that far back! Remember? In the good old days of the Academy? Before we made it to genin? Remember when Iruka had gotten an assistant," Sai began his little tale, a feral smile on his lips as he kept twirling his now empty glass of sake. Naruto stared at the fragile glass, his mind numb from the onslaught of memories.

"S-shut up Sai," Naruto weakly retorted, fingering the hem of his shirt and nervously pulling it down in an anxious tick.

"Ah, it's coming back to you, isn't it? You were so _infatuated_ with him; you become a little lovesick fan girl. If anyone would dare to speak about him, you would get into a vicious catfight- all slaps and nails. Remember, Pussyface? Because you were such an ass-kissing pussy? Of course, I remember it quite vividly. The very first day the assistant came in class, he was scowling smugly at us as though he was proud to be constipated. He thought he was _so_ better than us- like we didn't even deserve to be gum underneath his shoe, and you… _ah!_ The look on your smitten face! You've always been stupidly impulsive, but I would have never thought that you would actually jump on your desk and proclaim your undying love for him in front of everyone! Wow, were you ever obsessed. You would never shut up about the guy. Even getting a two-week detention from Iruka sensei didn't deter you from pursuing the guy," Sai happily recounted, a hint of melody in his voice.

"I don't remember any of this. You can shut up and die now," Naruto hissed, viciously rubbing his face in frustration.

"Really? You don't remember? Your sudden eagerness to participate in class? How you would answer- incorrectly, of course- every question Uchiha-sensei asked, just to try and impress him? How, despite getting every single question wrong, you felt obliged to declare your love at the end of every answer?" the dark-haired ninja gleefully supplied to try to help jog his friend's memory.

"I DID NO SUCH THING!" Naruto cried out indignantly, eyes blazing and index wildly pointed at Sai- though the sudden movement caused the somewhat inebriated boy to swagger.

"Mhmm, like you didn't wake-up early every single morning so you could do a mad dash to school and stare at Uchiha-sensei eat his breakfast in the teacher's lounge at the Academy from outside, I suppose? Or the way you would fill the drawers of his desk with roses and watch every morning as he opened it, hoping that this would be the day he would actually pay heed instead of just ignoring it and eventually flushing them down the toilet?"

"THAT FUCKING JACKASS! I ALWAYS got blamed for backing up all the toilets, when _he_ was the asshole that-" the young blond vehemently exclaimed, his fists in the air.

"So you do remember?" Sai asked slyly, his canines protruding ferociously.

Naruto's eyes widened realizing how he betrayed himself, before sitting back down in defeat. There was no point arguing now- it was clear he had lost the battle.

"Fucker," Naruto hissed as his cheeks flustered with embarrassment.

"Now, now, no need for vulgarity Mr. Pussyface," his best friend said using an assuaging tone as he condescendingly petted him on the head.

The flaxen-haired ninja however was not amused. He huffed indignantly and forcefully slapped the intruding hand away. Naruto glared at his jerk of a friend.

"What's your point, Sai? That is, if you have a point," he spat out viciously.

"Oh, come now Naruto. Although I do enjoy seeing you mortified there _is_ a reason why I am digging up ancient history," Sai said happily with a certain aura of tangible mystery.

"I'm listening," Naruto said hesitantly as he eyed his friend suspiciously. Although Sai might be his best friend, Naruto wasn't too sure if he could trust the socially inept boy with his life. He has some… _sadistic_ tendencies and a very odd sense of humor that successfully scared people away.

"My point is maybe this isn't as ancient as you would hope for it to be," Sai answered, mysteriously- all smiles.

Naruto stared at his enigmatic friend waiting for him to continue. When finally he realized that the boy had no intention of providing any further explanations, he signed in exasperation. _Fucking cryptic assholes._

"Sai if you don't start accelerating you're paying for the drinks," the blond ninja threatened, sticking out his tongue and blowing a raspberry.

"You promised. Isn't breaking your promises against your nindo?" Sai reasoned coolly, though a small seed of fear gripped him. Naruto wouldn't dare… right? He couldn't be so heartless?

"Well, I don't care!" Naruto crossed his arms, petulantly glaring at his teammate.

Sai assessed the situation, surveying his swaggering moody friend who was fisting his hair in exasperation, his head on the table.

"Wow, you must really be drunk," he commented dryly.

"You're fucking evil," Naruto glowered, hunching over the counter utterly depressed.

Sai chuckled good-heartedly, eyes roaming in the obscure recesses of the dingy bar that promised some sort of seductive immortality.

"Yes, maybe I am but you my friend must admit that Sasuke meant a whole lot more to you than just a teacher's assistant," Sai commented, a hint of mirth in his dark irises; dark obsidian eyes twinkling and taunting Naruto mercilessly. "That is of course until he finally answered your little love letter."

That had certainly caught Naruto off guard. He stared at the ground for a good few minutes, his face unreadable to Sai. Vaguely Sai wondered for the very first time in his life if he should have just kept his mouth shut.

"Y-you knew about the letter," Naruto whispered weakly after a moment of silence, unable to look up, unable to face the judgment.

"It's funny how much a woman will reveal when you threaten to flush her make-up down the toilet," Sai casually responded, an air of malice about him.

"Wait! Sakura-chan told YOU?!" Naruto's eyes bulged at Sakura's betrayal.

The young blond pouted petulantly, his cupped hands supporting his chin. He sighed deeply- the type of sigh one needs to brace oneself, the type of sigh subtly dipped in nostalgia and something deeper, something fiercer- like a young man reminiscing on who he used to be, on who he wanted to be. Naruto closed his eyes and savored the memories flitting through the gentle universe concocted by his nostalgic mind- because one couldn't savor the intensity, the magnitude of revisiting the past with open eyes. It is only through closed lids, one could fully embrace the bitter sweetness of memories eroded by time. Time certainly did alter memories: past villains seemed fiercer than they actually were and we thought ourselves more innocent than we actually had been. The mind was a funny, complex little thing. It could vilify something not so terrible and beautify something not so splendid. At this moment, as Naruto ran his hand through spikes of flaxen, he wasn't quite sure if how he perceived his childhood was exactly how it had unfolded.

"So… mebbe I-I had a crush on sensei-teme. So what?!" he bit out harshly , growling in frustration.

"A _crush_?" Sai scoffed in amusement. "Funny how some terms seem so _mollifying_. I personally would have gone with 'obsessive infatuation', but hey! Whatever floats your boat is fine by me. And I think you still are in some perverse manner. Hence, the sulking. He really did a number on you, huh? Did he yell? Scream? Humiliate you?"

"I WAS NOT…" Naruto yelled, eyes vermillion with outraged fury as he jumped in an offensive stance. Upon noticing Sai's toothy smirk and his growing not-quite-drunk-yet audience, the young ninja's cheeks tainted in embarrassment.

"I was not- _and still am not_!- obsessed with him," he hissed in a more modest display of fury.

"If you say so… Mr. Pussyface," Sai conceded in feigned innocence.

And before anyone could register what had happened, Naruto let out a guttural animalistic cry of war before pouncing with every intention of terminating his so-called teammate.

XXX

Sasuke was a very proud man. Sasuke prided himself (secretly) in many abstract things: his family's legacy (well most of it anyways- disregarding the annihilation of the clan, naturally), his good looks (not that he would ever admit out loud to ever possessing such vanity), his outstanding position in society, his job, his inherent ingenuity…. Yes, indeed, Sasuke was a very proud man… yet, at this very moment, this extremely proud elite ninja would have wished for nothing more than to be savagely devoured by a herd of rabid rats.

"Aww, come now, Saucy-chan! No time to be shy! Sing with me! _Nine hundred and eighty bottles of beer on the wall. Nine hundred and eighty bottles of beer on the wall. Take one down and pass-_ come on Saucy-chan!," the grey-haired fellow next to him bellowed rambunctiously, amicably throwing his arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

Anything but to bear the humiliation of being publicly seen and associated with _that_.

Sasuke sneered with revolt at the utter sound of that cringe-inducing nickname. '_Vile thing, disappear_,' his mind chanted helplessly.

Kakashi cheered off-key, howling randomly like a lone wolf admiring the pregnant moon. Somewhere in the midst of his singing some inebriated dunderheads began shrieking at each other.

"I DID NO SUCH THING!" one of the drunkards screamed vividly from the darker corner of the shoddy pub.

"Oh ho! Ho ho!" Kakashi laughed happily. "Looks like there is trouble in paradise!"

"Yeah well at least it got you to stop your atrocious ear-splitting singing," Sasuke muttered, staring moodily at his now empty glass. Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Why was the glass empty? Why wasn't it full again?

"Saucy-chan, you make such a mean drunk," Kakashi declared, his eye twinkling with good-humored mirth as he shook the young man's shoulder.

Sasuke glowered menacingly, trying desperately to get rid of the heavy appendage violating his personal bubble. Yet, despite his best efforts (which were pretty lame due to his drunken state: for instance, his infamous 'touch me and worms will devour your intestines' death glare ended up merely looking like a boyish pout), the vile arm remained immobile.

"Really Saucy-chan, how do you ever get laid if you can't stand a little bit of touchy-feely, mhmm?" Kakashi asked, bringing his masked face uncomfortably close to Sasuke's face. He tried to push the older man away.

"Some of us don't need to get laid every single day. We're not all whores," Sasuke replied caustically, yet again failing to summon the necessary anger and only ending up looking like a petulant child.

Kakashi laughed, and despite the barrier of the mask, Sasuke could smell the heavy liquor saturating his breath. He scrunched up his nose in disgust and was about to retort something unpleasant when a howl of "I WAS NOT!" from the drunken fools at the back interrupted him. Kakashi turned around instantly, ears perked.

"Oh ho! Saucy-chan?" Kakashi asked in singsong, which made Sasuke very, very worried.

"What?!" he bit out in gruff irritation.

Through the grey mask, Sasuke could see a Cheshire grin gracing the vile, vile thing.

"Aren't those your little kiddies?" he asked over joyously, motioning to the visibly smashed Naruto who was trying to pounce Sai, but got caught in the leg of the table and topple unceremoniously over.

A thunderous crash resounded in the bar.

"Hey, what's going on there?!" yelled the indignant, tired and pissy bartender.

As he was about to intervene, Kakashi authoritatively held up his hand in a halting motion.

"No need. My man Saucy here will take care of everything," he said happily, his arm around Sasuke's broad shoulders. "Tell them to play nice!"

"I'm not going anywhere," Sasuke scoffed, arms crossed puerilely over his chest.

"Oh? But what would Hokage-sama say if she knew you stood by and watched your little kiddies get into a scuffle?" A terrible smugness illuminated his dark visible eyes.

"Have fun, Saucy-chan!"

Sasuke watched his treacherous so-called colleague, mouth agape. He wouldn't dare… He wouldn't!

BAM.

The geezer had pushed him off the stool and Sasuke let out a manly grunt (very nearly squealed indecently) as he thudded on his rear-end.

The young raven-haired man slowly and with much stumbling got up- apparently coordination wasn't his forte after a few drinks. He dusted himself with as much dignity as he could muster and trudged his way over to the quarrelling duo.

The blond retard was doubled over on the floor a few inches away from the toppled table, nursing his battered head. The grinning idiot stood a few feet away, chuckling to himself like the little creep he was. Seeing his amusement only made Sasuke seethe in fury.

"Oh, Mister Pussyface?" Sai chanted, a queer smile splayed on his pinked lips.

Naruto growled while attempting to pounce him again but ended up gracelessly tripping on his own shoe this time and toppling over once again.

"Your Prince Charming is marching this way," Sai remarked casually, while Naruto stared at him in bewilderment.

"Eh?"

Sai motioned with his chin towards the glaring, sullen dark-haired ninja- Sai noted airily how much he looked like a fuming panther.

"Why oh why do you idiots insist on making my life a living hell?" glowered Sasuke, a homicidal aura permeating from him.

"Now, now sensei! You're such a prude," Sai commented, smiling in that perpetually creepy manner of his.

"Sai, you speak, I hit. Am I clear?"

"Crystal, captain," Sai automatically replied, though the eerie self-satisfied smirk said otherwise.

Sasuke shook his head, refusing to dwell on his freakish subordinate's antics. He was one mystery that even the genius of the Great Uchiha could not solve, and frankly he didn't want to anyways. Not now. Not Ever. Some things in life were better left buried.

"Pay and leave," he muttered, glaring at the teenager on the floor, still trying to assuage his bruised head.

"HEY! You're not the boss of me!" Naruto cried out in that obnoxious, loud and overzealous way of his- drawing in everyone's attention once again.

Sasuke haughtily raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the boy's exclamation.

"Underage drinking? You do realize I can have you chucked from the ANBU should the elders learn of your disruptive behavior," Sasuke spoke arrogantly in a low voice with the threat lingering on his lips, making Naruto growl in reluctant submissiveness.

Pricky alpha-male leader of the pack had a point there. Naruto let out a frustrated groan. It really, truly sucked to never win.

"Good luck with that Blondie," Sai patted his teammate on the back with an ounce of feigned sympathy.

"Y-you're just leaving?" Naruto asked indignantly, his bright blue eyes pleading his best friend to not abandon him in the face of Evil.

"Mah, your treat, 'member?" Sai reminded him slyly, slithering away from Naruto before the ladder could trap him in that desperate iron grip of his.

Naruto glared at his raven-haired teammate. Stupid pale bastard was enjoying this way too much.

"Take the dobe with you," Sasuke ordered when he realized that the creepy idiot was trying to get away. No way in Hell was he staying here with the dumb blond. No way in Hell!

But of course, Fate was a bitch. Kakashi chose that opportune moment to make a grandiose appearance, his visible eye crinkled in his mad grin.

"Mah Saucy-chan! Sai is too… impaired to take care of dear Naruto-kun here. I'll take this one home, you take care of the blond," Kakashi winked, wrapping a sturdy arm around Sai and waltzing away before either of them could protest, leaving a gush of air in his leave.

Sasuke blinked twice slowly, dizzy from the onslaught of happenings.

Kakashi. Gone.

Creepy Idiot. Gone.

Dumb blond… Fuck. Still here.

Much to his chagrin, he stared at his charge- a sixteen year-old blond ditz staring at him with wide eyes and puffed cheeks- he was pursing his lips strangely, almost as if he were in pain. Maybe (hopefully) his puny brain would burst, Sasuke mused airily.

"What? Do you have diarrhea or something?" he grumbled, after getting the distinct impression that staring at Naruto only made one stupider.

The blond did that thing, Sasuke thought meekly. That thing where his face is about to split in half and his blue, blue eyes become really, really small- that thing, that expression that Sasuke, by unfortunate experience, knew only meant one thing: bad news.

"S-Saucy-chan?!" Naruto stuttered incredulously, breaking out in a hysterical uncontrolled fit of laughter.

The captain pinched the bridge of his nose in embarrassed irritation, looking away. The sight of lightly tinted pink cheeks encouraged Naruto to howl further, laughing in pure mocking mirth.

"Should I remind you that I could get your ass kicked out of the squad?" Sasuke interjected moodily, irritated at the sight of his charge bent over a table next to the toppled one, cradling his face in his arms.

It didn't take long after that for Naruto to sober up.

"Sai is right. You just permanently PMS, don't cha?" Naruto glared, wiping off the laughter-induced tears from the corner of his eyes.

Sasuke stared impassively as his drunken charge collected himself. Why did he always get stuck picking up after losers? He was really beginning to think life had it out for him. Why else was she so unkind to him.

"Men do not have menstrual cycles, or do you not even know basic biology?" Sasuke retorted- though as soon as the sentence slipped his mouth, he began frowning. Why was he indulging in such useless arguments?

"It must be hard being a royal dick all the time, eh?" A rhetorical question, really. But Naruto's eyes glimmered coyly, not sharing Sasuke's sentiments on the pettiness of arguments.

"No, not at all," Sasuke grumbled, crossing his arms with a false sense of superiority.

He was doing _it_. Again. That idiot, Sasuke frowned. Naruto bit his lower lip, a wild grin splayed on his lips. His eyes were crushed under the creases of his grin, causing his sensei to mildly wonder why his face wasn't permanently damaged after such constant abuse.

"HOLAY! W-was that a j-joke?!" Naruto began loudly, wrapping an arm around his sensei's shoulder in a much-too-uncomfortably-familiar manner that made Sasuke glower. "Oh goodness me! SAUCY-CHAN just made a JOKE!"

Sasuke watched Naruto laugh heartedly in that really infectious- dare he think it?- retarded (endearing- although the 'e-word' did not exist in Sasuke's dictionary, mind you) way of his that made his entire face glow with mirth. Glow. Sasuke scowled. T-that can't. No. It just can't. His vision was momentarily affected.

"Call me that one more time and I will decapitate your head and feed it to that Inuzuka mutt," he growled, removing the vile arm touching him. He prayed to heavens he didn't catch some terminal disease from being in contact for so long with the blond ditz.

"With all that talk about killing people, one might think it turns you on…" Naruto off-handedly remarked- blue, blue eyes sparkling mischievously.

The dark-haired captain sighed deeply, massaging his forehead in frustration.

Naruto stopped, turned around, his eyes wide- as though he was struck by an epiphany of genius.

"Y-you're not a necrophiliac… are you?!" Naruto gasped incredulously, an offending accusatory finger shoved in front of Sasuke's face.

He glared at the vile thing in his eyesight, but that only made his headache worse from having to cross his eyes. He violently slapped the index away, scowling deeply.

"I'm surprised you even know what the word means," Sasuke muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose to allay the growing migraine. Somehow, dealing with this particular subordinate always, _always_ induced headaches in him. Maybe he really _was_ allergic to stupid.

"YOU DIDN'T DENY IT!!" the flaxen-haired ninja shouted in a way that made everyone's attention rivet to the quarreling duo.

Sasuke sneered at the nosy customers- he was the captain of the ANBU, damn it. He was a respectable, reputable man. People _writhed_ in fear whenever he stepped into a room. He was a genius for goodness sake! So why was he utterly unable to make _it_ shut the fuck up? The unnerved captain of ANBU briskly walked away from his charge, not particularly caring if the annoying teenager made it home safely and soundly. He needed only one thing: sleep, and no shouting vulgar blonds will keep him from that.

As his sensei determinedly walked on the path of accomplishing his mission for the night, Naruto bit his lip as a sudden flash of magnesium blinded his sight. Burning. Burning retinas. The smell of smoke, or burning convoluting flesh.

"S-sensei!" Naruto cried out in alarming desperation.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke snapped in irritation- Naruto didn't seem fazed by his hostile tone as he was doubled over, clutching his stomach.

"M-my stomach. I-it's burning," he answered weakly, almost whinying. His eyes were glazed over and unfocused. The wave of acute scorching pain caught him off guard. His nails dug sharply in his palms in a failed attempt to somehow assuage the pain.

Sasuke coolly observed his subordinate- his normally obnoxiously proud lackey who would rather chew on his shoe than to admit weakness to him.

Something was wrong.

Something was _terribly_ wrong.

"S-sensei. I-it's h-hot. I-I… H-hot," Naruto mewled feverishly, closing his unfocused eyes. For a second, Sasuke thought that clear cobalt was replaced with fierce vermilion. His warm body leaned forward and Sasuke stumbled to support the boy and keep him from falling over.

Heat was literally radiating off the boy's body and it was scorching to the touch. Sasuke bit his tongue, trying not to directly touch his student as he leaned in further, invading his space.

"S-sensei I'm s-so h-hot. It's so- I- _burning!_" de deliriously mumbled, nestling his head on his teacher's shoulder.

The dark-haired ANBU clenched his jaw. The forehead was torrid. It was fucking _burning_ his shoulder. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. He bit his tongue harder, the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He inhaled deeply- it was scalding, burning. It was like he was caught on fire. This. This wasn't normal. The agony was too blindingly intense, Sasuke vaguely thought for a moment that this was death. This was death. This was death- blinding, searing white spots; burning flesh resonating in your very bones. This was death- hammering in your chest; evaporation of your senses. This was death- the quick reminder of how _alive_ you are, how much you can _feel_, and then swiftly being robbed of it all. This was death, Sasuke thought mindlessly.

"Please s-sensei help." A plea- the sharp, whiny plea that shattered Sasuke's daze, reminding him where he was (reminding him who he was). Although he'll never admit it, he was thankful to be roughly yanked away from going down _that_ road.

Sasuke encircled his student's waist and grunted, trying not to focus on the sheer scorching agony, on the fact that it felt like his flesh was melting. They stumbled clumsily to a small booth. He viciously flung the body off of him, unable to withstand the heat, the pain any longer.

"S-sensei?" Naruto asked blearily, lulling his aching head in his hands, trying to will his migraine away.

"Sit," Sasuke commanded harshly, soothingly rubbing his shoulder blades. His fingers were oddly fine- his flesh was still intact, and yet he could have sworn that they were melting, burning- like rubber tires furiously screeching on the road. It had felt so real. It had been so, so _vivid_. He stared fixedly at his fingers- his slender, pale, intact fingers.

"Are you having a seizure, Sensei?"

Sasuke could judge by the derisive tone that his student was blatantly mocking him, and normally he wouldn't stand for such flagrant disrespect, but now was not a normal circumstance.

He went stiff. Everything was suddenly so cold. The sheer frigidness erupted from the tip of his toes and slowly escalated like a bacterial invasion. He couldn't help but shiver as a wave of cool engulfed him, goose bumps erupting on his flesh. As if in some sort of weird trance, he observed his overly annoying loudmouth idiotic subordinate bring his face obnoxiously close to his own, his brows knitted in… concern? Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if Naruto had ever heard of the concept of personal space. And normally, _normally_, he would have pushed the brat away, punched him square in the jaw. His fists were itching to leave a mark on that smug little face… but something was terribly wrong. Sasuke blinked in a daze, his lips parted as he struggled to breathe. It was so… c-cold. It was as though something within the idiot was pulling him in. As though he was sucking, aspiring some essential part of him.

And Naruto… Naruto was emanating heat, pure inflaming heat; warmth that he craved, warmth that was escaping him, that was slipping out of his pores. Warmth that he needed to stay alive, to keep his heart beating.

"Sensei…?" Naruto asked softly with a pained expression on his face. Could he feel it too? Could he feel the loss… (_the loss of what, exactly?_).

But Sasuke was no longer listening. The boy was speaking, moving his mouth, formulating words, but Sasuke could hear nothing, because all he could feel was the heat lingering in the air, teasing him, flirting with him- his frigid, dying self.

He tried to say something, to formulate some coherent sentence, to do something- kick, scream, yell, stab, anything! But he couldn't. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't. Couldn't. Couldn't. Couldn't.

Vaguely, he noticed the perplexed boy was saying something. He placed a hand on his forehead. The heat rolling off Naruto's body flickered and suddenly gained intensity- and Sasuke bit his lips in order to restrain the wanton moan threatening to spill out of his lips. Heat. Lingering. Teasing. Flirting.

And then, snap!

He grabbed the drunken boy fawning before him, clasped the boy's wrists tightly in his fists.

"Ow! Sensei-bastard! That h-" he cried out in pain as he was forcefully brought to his sensei's lap.

Warmth, maddening, excruciating heat.

He scooted the weight on his lap- closer, closer, closer- until their groins were touching and- _ohh_.

Someone gasped deeply. Sasuke pulled his student closer, burying his nose in his chest in an intimate way that made Naruto's breath hitch and inhaling his scent deeply.

"Sensei, w-what… ngghh… what are you…?" Naruto asked, clearly confused as he felt something thick and hard poke him in his stomach. He hadn't realized… he hadn't realized when his sensei… There was an odd sensation that coursed through his body that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Strange, but not unpleasant. The hands painfully clasping his wrists were cold- so direly cold, in stark contrast to him, to his heat. He was burning up. His sensei was freezing, and he was burning. Polar opposites. Diametrically different. He direly needed to cool down, to cool off.

Sasuke didn't know how it happened or how it began; one second he was staring at pink, pink lips and then, suddenly, his own lips were on them- hungrily devouring his essence, his heat. It was almost as if Sasuke were possessed. He hungrily sucked his student's lips, invading his mouth, pushing the warm body- closer, closer, closer. Naruto leaned in, his warm, warm hands searing Sasuke's chest. The kiss was raw, and painful as though someone had electrocuted him, as though he was feeding on the heat.

Naruto felt a tongue intrude his mouth, invade him, control him, dominate his whole being- and he was strangely addicted to this sensation of being so entirely dominated. The cool sweaty hands found their way underneath his shirt- Naruto shivered at the cool touch. He leaned forward, gasping when his erection brushed against his sensei's arousal.

Sasuke growled as he lifted the lithe body on to the table and pushed him down aggressively. Strong legs wrapped around him, and he vaguely recalled feeling warm hands digging in his dark hair, pushing him deeper into the heat.

Need heat. Need more skin. Need. More. More. More.

Sasuke pressed himself against his student- the legs dug into his back. The animalistic lust consumed him, and Sasuke wholly gave himself in.

Naruto moaned, as his back thudded against the table. He rolled his head back, maddeningly grinding his arousal upwards, as he forced Sasuke down on him by the hair. This was maddening. This was crazy. This was not happening. Naruto was assaulted with all these strange sensations and nothing made sense anymore- someone was sucking his lower lip, and cold hands were trailing down his happy trail at the hem of his pants. He was being devoured with such a passion. The heat coiled between his legs. He couldn't breathe. He shivered, he gasped, he was confused, he wanted it to stop, and he loved it.

"Ahem… U-Uchiha-sama?" a mousy voice squeaked just as Sasuke was about to rip the offending pants off.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke roared, immediately lifting his head to glare daggers at the poor sap who dared to interrupt him.

"I-if y-you could please… ahem… club rules and…" the young woman was wringing her hands uncomfortably. She darted her glance away- it was clear she was uneasy with the whole situation. In quick embarrassed steps, she walked away, pink searing her face.

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. Immediately, he realized that someone had a hold around his head. He looked down in dread at the thing beneath him- Naruto slowly blinked the haze out of his eyes, his swollen dark pink lips were slightly open. It seemed almost like the boy was struggling to catch his breath. His pants were nestled dangerously low on his hipbones, and his shirt was lifted, revealing a tan muscled abdomen covered in droplets of salty sweat. The spiral design near the navel was strangely glowing tonight. That's when Sasuke realized that said boy's legs were wrapped around him- and the shit hit the fan.

He violently detached himself from his student, fervently wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand. He couldn't believe what just happened. He didn't know what overcame him, what possessed him to do… to… with his student!

Naruto, epically confused, lifted his head, supporting himself on his elbows.

"Sensei are you okay?" asked the flustered teen as he wiped the train of saliva dripping down his chin.

"Go home," Sasuke curtly grunted, much too ashamed to look into deep blue eyes. He rubbed his forehead furiously. He could feel it in his bones- the chill. It was consuming him. He couldn't breathe- the brisk air was cutting his lungs.

"But sensei-"

"GO HOME!" Sasuke screamed aggressively, slamming his quaking fists on the table. His arms were trembling as though the shooting pain was resonating, was vibrating within him.

Naruto stumbled off the table as if in trance.

"Your lips are blue," Naruto whispered, advancing cautiously towards his trembling teacher.

The voice of reason in the back of Sasuke's mind warned him to leave, to hit the ground running and to put as much distance as he could between their bodies, but it seemed like reason didn't feel like being party to Sasuke's dilemma today.

"You're trembling," Naruto said softly, gently caressing his cheek.

Sasuke's eyes rolled in the back of his sockets.

_Warmth, warmth, warmth_- was the violent, hungry mantra in his head. He was doing it again- pulling him in, dangling his enticing warmth. He was a drug- a fucking drug- and Sasuke was the tortured junkie who needed his fix to survive, to be able to _breathe_.

"S-sensei?" Naruto asked uncertainly.

Their noses were almost touching. He could feel the heat radiating off of him. He closed his eyes, moaning audibly in a mix of sweet, tortured pleasure, and then…-

Violently pulling Naruto towards him, he forcefully devoured his lips; hungrily sealing them together, hungrily giving into his latent violent urges. Naruto gasped in surprise, confusion and alcohol clouding his logic. Naruto couldn't think what with the searing breathless kiss, the rock hard erection poking his stomach that seemed to imply so much and the blind hunger possessing those eternally beautiful crimson eyes.

Naruto closed his eyes and relaxed. He closed his eyes, giving in, giving himself completely.

XXX

The ceiling was white.

He wasn't expecting that. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he wasn't expecting white ceiling. Immaculate white. Not even a trace of dust! Not even a scratch, a mark, a ghost of a cobweb. Just immaculate sterile and deceiving white. Not even in relief- just completely flat.

The ceiling was white and _oh! Right there!_

He shut his eyes, panting loudly.

"K-kami, nggh. S-" he whimpered, clawing the sweaty back.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. Inout. Inout… inoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinout.

Full. Empty. Full. Empty. Fullempty fullemptyfullempt-

He thrust roughly inside, and Naruto clamped down on his lip to keep from crying out in agony. In tortured pleasure.

The room filled with sounds of animalistic grunts, wistful moans of rapture and the maniacal banging of the headboard against the wall. Naruto vaguely wondered how long it would take the headboard to make a hole in the wall. White, white walls.

Naruto decided right then and there, as his sensei pounded into him that sex was weird.

Hands had been everywhere, and Naruto who had never been very touchy-feely with anyone- unless if it was to attempt to beat them shitless- thought it was weird to have someone be so touchy-feely with him. Weirder was the fact that that someone was his stoic permanently angry sensei- but apparently, Sasuke was capable of adopting a second state: bestial horniness.

So sure, it was weird when frozen hands slipped past his underwear and clasped his ass, as a hard arousal grinded into him and- _nghh_.

He couldn't think straight, he couldn't-

Not when he was roughly pushed on the bed, teeth nipping his collarbone.

He had prompted himself on his elbows and dazedly stared down at the dampening spot on the front of his underwear and then- BAM! A big, leaking erect cock sprung in front of his face.

Okay.

So.

Maybe. _Maybe_. Sakura wasn't entirely wrong when she was talking about the sensei's package.

As he ran his tongue over his dry, dry lips and struggled to lift his ass when cool fingers roughly slipped his damp underwear off, he wondered if this was how everyone lost their virginity- you know, getting drunk in a shoddy bar, and ending up hooking up with someone who hates your guts.

He had never felt so exposed in his entire life, completely naked with his legs forcefully spread open. Crimson eyes hungrily stared at him- eyes lustfully wanting, wanting something from him and it made Naruto squirm uncomfortably. He knew in the back of his head that while Sasuke was looking at him, he didn't _see_ him, and for some odd reason that fact made his intestines churn uncomfortably.

And- _fucking shit!_

Naruto had bit his lip, as the hard thick cock entered him quickly and without warning. Apparently- Naruto discovered- saliva was _not_ a good substitute for lube.

"Nggh- R- Fuck, Naruto! R-relax!" his sensei had moaned, his head lulled to the boy's chest. The dark sweaty locks brushing against his chest, as Sasuke forced his way in.

Yet, despite his best efforts, Naruto couldn't relax- his ring of muscles clutched painfully on the invading appendage. He should have known his sensei was not one for patience for he painfully penetrated him anyways.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. Inout. Inout… inoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinoutinout.

Full. Empty. Full. Empty. Fullempty fullemptyfullempt-

At a rapid, animalistic frenzied pace.

Naruto opened his mouth in a soundless moan.

The sweaty bodies stuck and unstuck, and quickly- Sasuke continued thrusting throughout his orgasm.

His heavy body had collapsed on a still hard Naruto. It was over, Naruto sighed with relief- at least the headboard stopped banging. The thick cock was still inside him as Sasuke breathed heavily, his nose buried in the crook of his neck. He soon lulled to sleep and Naruto stared at white. It was still inside him, and it was quite literally becoming a pain in the ass.

The teenager squired uncomfortably and eventually managed to push the object of his once-upon-a-time crush out of him. He stared down his sticky thighs- thankfully his erection had disappeared.

The ceiling was white. As Naruto tried to whisk himself off into dreamland, he numbly wondered why he was overwhelmed with this unbearable feeling of loss, like something precious was taken away, robbed from him, like something in his had profoundly changed in some sorrowful way. He was not a girl. He was not weak. He did not cry. He was not able to cry. But right then and there, he strangely felt like it. He felt like crying, and he didn't know why.

XXX

No.

Just no.

No. No. No. No. No. No.

Sasuke stared intently at the thing violating his home. The thing on his property, in his bed.

He clasped his eyes shut, fingers massaging his temples.

Nononono. NO.

This was a nightmare. A bad dream. A web of intricate, unfortunate lies plotted by the enemy. An elaborate ploy or conspiracy to bring him to his demise. This wasn't true. Yes. It wasn't real.

He roughly poked the_ thing_ in utter disdain.

Imagine to his horror, Sasuke had woken up in the morning with a pounding headache, feeling like he had just gotten hit by a seven-ton truck. Imagine how his headache morphed into a near fatal brain aneurysm when he realized that he was stark naked and that there was an _arm_ touching him, violating his personal bubble. Sasuke nearly had a heart attack (fainting spell) when he realized to whom exactly that vulgar appendage belonged to.

He poked- okay. The body was definitely real.

He poked a couple more times just for good measure.

But maybe, maybe, what he thought had occurred didn't actually happen. Two naked guys can share a bed without it insinuating something… right? Right. Right. Ri-

He was certain that oxygen stopped circulating in his brain when he saw the _stains_ on his _satin_ sheets. And… the _thing_ had bites… fucking _love bites_ all over his body. On his neck. Between his thighs. On his navel about the turf of blond.

"Nnn," Naruto sleepily grunted. He blearily opened his eyes, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "S-sensei?"

Fuck. It talks.

The boy yawned, shading his eyes from the assault of sunlight.

"S-sensei-"

Sasuke panicked. He roughly pushed the young man off his bed, off his now soiled satin sheets.

"Get out," he curtly grunted in categorical manner, cradling his head in his hands as though it was too heavy for his neck to support.

Naruto stared up his moody captain uncertainly. Confused. His belly tightened in dread. His ass was on fire too.

"S-sensei?" he risked asking.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" A growl. Balled fists. Sharingan wildly spinning.

"This never happened, you got that? NEVER!"

Crimson bled eyes. Glaring. Scorching.

Naruto stared at his sensei disbelievingly.

He quickly gathered his clothes, wordlessly. He didn't argue. Hedidn't speak. He didn't breathe. He didn't think. He didn't. Didn't. Didn't.

The door slammed behind him. He was gone within seconds. Vaporized.

He needed a shower, he broodingly mused. The bitter taste of old alcohol was heavy in his mouth; his cranium was relentlessly banging against the wall of his skull.

And it dawned on him with a numbing feeling of helplessness that he had lost his virginity as a meaningless fuck. He had lost his virginity. As a meaningless fuck. Meaningless. Wordless. Cheap. Fuck.

Something was gone. He just knew. It was irrevocable. It was gone. That feeling of utter confusion he had felt the night before in the bar returned full force. That feeling- as though he was stuck in vacuum, in an empty space, blindly clawing for some understanding, some definition.

Something had changed, and it troubled Naruto that he couldn't put his finger on it.

He roughly scratched his upper arm. He felt so _dirty_. Used. Cheap. _Alone_.

_Angels say they can make you suffer_

_They give and take like a vicious lover_

_When all this loses meaning…_

_Alone_

XXX

* * *

**HOOCHIE MAMA.**

**YOU ARE NOT HIGH.**

**THIS WAS NOT AN ILLUSION.**

**YES, I UPDATED.**

**I greatly, feverishly apologize for being so slow. I OFFER YOU MY BONES AS REDEMPTION. HERE, CHEW ME.**

**But so goes the life of a college student in (suicidal) Health Science!**

**It's the official end of the semester and I am relishing in the six-week break. SWEETNESS, BITCHES.**

**Thanks for all your support and messages of understanding. I love you all. If you messaged me or reviewed, and being the ditz I am, I forgot to express my thanks to you, please don't take offence. I really, TRULY appreciate it. Thanks for keeping me going : )**

**Guys, guys, guys- you know I appreciate and love every single review- praise, flame, suggestions, criticism or the mere 'update bitch'-**

**Freedom of expression! It's a beauteous thing! Truly!**

**However, as much the death threats I received by PM were **_**flattering**_**, I must say aren't those a bit… counterproductive? I mean, if you guys **_**murder**_** me because I'm such a slow updater, then I can't ever finish Disenchanted because I will be uh… -what's the word, again?- dead. So you see, it's in your best interest to **_**not**_** kill me! (Unless of course if you hate this amateurish crap, then by all means- WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?)**

**POLL RESULTS:**

What do you think the baby would be like: sex & personality-wise ? (Although these poll results will not alter my original plans for the story, I thought it would be fun to see what you guys think about it):

**WINNER: Boy (mini emo Sasuke running around) with ****33%**** of the votes, followed by Boy (mini overly-happy, hyperactive Naruto running around)** **with 31 %**

**HAHA, you guys don't like girls do you?**

**New poll question up on profile page.**

**On another note, a lot of you smart cookies made the link between chapters and titles. Can you guess this one?**

**I hope all of you amazing people have lovely holidays! And I hope this chapter was as fun to read, as it was to write, re-write, re-re-write and feverishly edit!**

**Lots of love,**

**JD**

**P.S Nine1991 is T3H PWNSOME, check out her fic "The Art of Fabrication"**


	5. Growing Up

Disclaimer: Random fact of complete relevance: I make some awesome cheesecake. Oh, and characters not mine.

_Pay my respects to Grace and Virtue  
Send my condolences to Good  
Give my regards to Soul and Romance,  
They always did the best they could  
And so long to Devotion  
You taught me everything I know  
Wave goodbye  
Wish me well…  
You've gotta let me go  
Are we human?  
Or are we dancer?_

"_**Human**_**" by The Killers**

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

**Growing Up**

**_**

**Present.**

Naruto nonchalantly swirled his soggy noodles, a tinge of pink dusting his cheeks.

Okay. So. Maybe he _had_ lied… well no. Not _lied_, _per se_… just altered the truth… but just a teensy bit, though! Well, maybe. Because maybe, maybe… he was not entirely oblivious to the abomination that had occurred that dreadful, dreadful night a month ago… Not that Tsunade-baachan needed to know such details. It's not like he _wanted_ to remember. If he could somehow self-induce amnesia that would selectively erase the last six years of his life, or, to the very least, the last four weeks, then he would and without any trace of hesitation whatsoever. He would give anything: an arm, a leg, even a lung to simply forget and bask in blissful ignorance.

But sadly, nothing in life was ever so simple.

_Frozen hands slipped past his underwear and clasped his ass, as a hard arousal grinded into him and- _nghh_._

_He couldn't think straight, he couldn't-_

_Not when he was roughly pushed on the bed, teeth nipping his collarbone._

_He had prompted himself on his elbows and dazedly stared down at the dampening spot on the front of his underwear and then- BAM! A big, leaking erect cock sprung in front of his face. _

Naruto groaned self-consciously, sliding further into his seat in a failed attempt to be swallowed whole and disappear from the face of the planet.

These most inopportune flashbacks were quickly becoming the bane of his existence. It was a filthy parasite feeding to the host's detriment. No matter what he tried to get rid of them, they were always there. Hiding. Waiting. Feeding. And they had this uncanny way of sporadically popping up during the day, a constant reminder of his stupidity. An eternal echo in the back of his mind.

And honestly, the worse part of this entire disaster was the fact that he did not take action.

He hadn't done anything to stop it. He hadn't done anything to stop what happened that night. That night that forever changed everything. He was complicit in his own subjugation- and that was the most haunting realization.

He kept replaying the fated night's events. At any moment he could have said something. At any moment, he could have done anything- Anything!

But he didn't.

And therefore, he had no right to play the victim. He had no right to wallow in self-pity or hide behind the masquerade of the poor, misled victim. And that was so damn frustrating.

_It's all your fault_.

The nagging litany droned on in the back of his mind, the words painfully drilled into him.

This. This just couldn't be real. It simply couldn't.

Couldn'tcouldn'tcouldn't.

He despairingly stared at the swirling noodles. He enjoyed the feeling of the scalding broth go down his throat, as the blissful taste seared his tongue. It was the best part. By now, the broth was practically entirely absorbed by the noodles. Damn life was so unfair sometimes.

Maybe _it_ was actually a disease and Tsunade, the old hag, couldn't tell the difference. Or some bug. Like a parasite! Or one of those nasty thirty feet long tapeworms that make you lose ten pounds in a week. Maybe the damn bastard actually did give him some mysterious deadly STD that eats you up from the inside out. Maybe it was an elaborate _jutsu _concocted by the conniving bastard who relished in watching him writhe in agony. Maybe it was payback for his April's Fool's prank. Sakura didn't seem entirely too pleased with it. Or maybe he was just going senile… or schizophrenic… or, or… this was all just a figment of his overly fertile imagination. It could be any myriad of possibilities! Anything! _Anything_ would be more plausible than _this_…

He self-consciously looked down at his stomach, touching it gently. Nothing. He could feel his abs flex beneath his fingers. It was completely flat. Nothing. There was no evidence. There was no sign- a human life couldn't be growing in there. Growing. Developing. Living.

It was simply ridiculous.

Purely fantastical.

Naruto cradled his heavy head in palm of his hands- what pot of shit did his infallible carelessness gotten him into now? How do you even deal with an issue that is not even humanly possible?

As he was mulling over his musings, he felt a familiar shadow loom over him. He wasn't in the mood for a confrontation. Not here. Not right now. He heaved a heavy sigh, and shut his eyes closed.

"What?" Naruto irritably grit out, vehemently refusing to make eye contact.

"Well, well, if it isn't the boy who puked all over sensei's shiny, shiny boots. Fancy seeing you here- alive, that is," Sai amusedly slithered, slinking to the stool beside him.

Naruto let his head dully thud the counter, absentmindedly yanking at his blond strands in frustration, until frigid fingers stilled his own warm hand.

"Do you think it's wise to inflict bodily harm onto yourself when you're… _expecting_?" Sai casually asked in a husky tone of voice, his cool grip tight around his best friend's wrist.

Naruto's eyes widened in sheer disbelief as he violently yanked his hand from Sai's iron grasp in a swift movement. The bowl of cold, soggy noodles clattered on the floor. The splatter stained the right corner of his bright orange jacket, not that he cared. Ayame glared at Naruto, who in response sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

He looked up only to be greeted with eerily glinting onyx eyes and a sharp distrustful smile that made his stomach clench uneasily.

He opened and closed his mouths a few times, futilely trying to formulate a sentence, but all that came out was a soundless scream of frustration. He looked away, running a hand through his spiky flaxen hair in a vain attempt to calm down.

"How do you…?" Naruto exasperatedly began, too emotionally drained to finish his question. A strange sense of hopelessness, almost despair, washed over him- almost like he was drowning in a dense pit of smothering darkness, and there was no hope of escape. He slowly clenched his eyes shut.

"Our teammate," Sai succinctly answered, gesturing to Ayame for his regular order, his sly smile never once faltering.

"God damnit! Does that woman tell you _every_ fucking detail of my life? Whatever happened to medic-patient confidentiality?!" he grit out, furiously rubbing his upper arm in an angry tick he had since he was a little boy.

Sakura. His closest friend. Sakura had told Sai. Sakura had gone behind his back and went to Sai to divulge this big, juicy piece of gossip that consisted of his personal life. His own personal business out there for all the vultures to devour. He absentmindedly pinched his biceps. He felt so exposed, so betrayed by Sakura, even though the reasonable part of his brain was telling him that Sakura would never ill intentionally expose his secrets. She was probably worried. The girl cared too much, like a sister.

Sai gently placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder for a split second, jolting him back to reality.

"Did you tell him yet?" he suddenly asked, throwing him a calculating gaze that made Naruto's intestines squirm.

Ayame placed the bowl and a steaming cup of tea in front of Sai, who ignored it and continued to emotionlessly scrutinize his friend.

Naruto looked away from the heated gaze, cheeks scarlet, and airily began to rub his flat stomach.

"I'll take that as a no," Sai said boredly, after Naruto's lack of response, and brought the broth closer to him.

"It's all your fault, you know," Naruto huffed, clearly annoyed. He furrowed his brows and sent a piercing glare in Sai's direction, who seemed perfectly unfazed by Naruto's sudden surge of hostility.

"I fail to see how I'm responsible for this," the black-haired ninja answered reasonably, slurping his lunch contentedly, which enraged Naruto.

"I-If you wouldn't have left me! I-if you…"

"If you would have kept your pants on," Sai replied slickly, a barely perceptible sly smile etched on his chapped lips.

"I was drunk, damn it!" Naruto exclaimed angrily, his face contrived with rage.

Sai looked up from his food, and stared at his childhood friend expectantly- the scorching anger written all over his face, almost like the frustration was consuming him, devouring him from the inside… but why was Naruto so frustrated? Frustrated as if he had no agency, as if…

"Was it…?" Sai asked in an alarming serious tone, his face grim.

"Was it?" Naruto repeated befuddled and alerted by the sudden change of atmosphere.

Sai hesitated for a bit. He looked down at his bowl for a second. He never was one for tact, but even someone with very regressive social skills as Sai recognized that perhaps an issue as big as this required a bit more… delicacy. Sai looked into Naruto's ever-so expressive deep blue eyes. The eyes that never lied. Sai gulped.

"Rape. Did he…?" Sai began slowly, uneasily.

Naruto's eyes bulged at the implications of his words. He fumbled with the hem of his shirt and looked away, his face flushed.

"No! God, no!" he boomed powerfully, "N-no… I mean… I… don't know… no… I… nevermind."

He finished lamely, biting his lower lip. Sai didn't speak, and Naruto didn't really want him to because he didn't trust his voice at this moment. Sai awkwardly focused on eating his food, and Naruto simply rubbed his stomach, casting his gaze in the other direction.

No, it wasn't rape. It wasn't entirely consensual, but it wasn't rape. And Naruto wouldn't stoop so low as to play the rape-victim card; he could never live with himself if he defamed the prissy bastard in such a disgusting way. No, it wasn't rape.

But… why did he feel so cheap? Almost as if he had been used, discarded like some cheap ragdoll. It's not as if he had any illusions about the nature of his relationship with the cranky sensei. It's not like he _wanted_ any sort of relationship at all. He wasn't some fucking googly-eyed girl! Yet, he felt so… _robbed_. Like Sasuke had taken something away from him, something that wasn't his to take. Like Sasuke had thrown him away. Like he was fucking _worthless_. A shadow. A nobody.

"What are you planning to do?" Sai asked suddenly, breaking Naruto out of his daze.

His dark, calculating eyes were right on him, and Naruto couldn't bear it. He couldn't bear the frigid gaze on him. Staring. Calculating. _Judging_.

_It's all your fault._

Naruto looked away. He refused to meet his eyes, and for some odd reason, this sudden detachment troubled Sai. His fingers itched. It would be awkward. He shouldn't. He shouldn'tshouldn'tshouldn't. But at that moment, he wanted nothing better than to touch him. Comfort him. Run his fingers through golden smooth strands.

"I-I don't know," Naruto said weakly.

"People who… have children, they usually tell their partners when they are… expecting, right?" Sai questioned a bit awkwardly, which made Naruto smile slightly. What a stupid question. What a caringly stupid question.

He looked up into Sai's dark, dark eyes.

He was a fool.

There was no judgement.

Just confusion. Awkward, caring and _sincere _confusion.

_He cares._

"I'm not a woman, Sai!" he begrudgingly howled, the hint of a smile quickly evanescing. "And _he_ is not my partner! It was… I don't know what it was, okay? I just don't fucking know. I just… I don't…"

"Know. You don't know," Sai finished, his dark eyes peering into Naruto.

The flaxen-haired ninja shuddered. There was something intrinsically eerie about the attention Sai was pouring over him. Sure, he cared, but there was something _more_ in the way his best friend was boring into him- it was so exposing, as if his soul was out in the open for public slander.

"No. I don't," Naruto mumbled weakly.

"He deserves to know," Sai threw casually, his lips pursed.

"Since when do you care?" Naruto asked gruffly and a bit offensively.

"I don't, but children should grow up with _both_ parents… yes? I read… that it's a strong bond. Parents and child," Sai offered bluntly, oblivious to Naruto's clear disdain of Sai's defense of the Uchiha. Even though, logically, Sai was not defending their captain _per se_.

"W-what if…," Naruto began angrily, his eyes blazing with sheer rage. His heart was pumping with adrenaline. In that moment, he could jump and snap Sai's neck like a twig in a heartbeat. And then,

Crystalline blue and onyx black.

_Caring_ onyx black.

Naruto ran his hand over his face in violent frustration.

"What if… I decide, what if I don't- what if I can't… can't," he stuttered feebly.

Sai placed his cup of tea back on the counter and surveyed the struggling blonde. He looked so weak, so vulnerable.

His fists were clenched, white-knuckled. They were trembling, and for some odd reason Sai wanted to reach out to them. Again. It was maddening, this urge to… In a split second of insanity, he wanted to squeeze, to hold, to comfort, to calm him. His childhood friend.

His best friend.

In a split second, they were eight all over again- Naruto, quaking in the corner, trying desperately to suppress his tears because he's the only student who still cannot hit the bull's-eye with his kunai and Sai, standing few feet away, swallowing down his snarky comment.

They weren't S-class ANBU killers oozing stealth and finesse.

They were just children in _bodies_ too big for them.

Children facing a decision that was too big for them to grasp.

And then it hit him like a thundering bolt of lightening.

Them growing up. Laughing, crying, breathing, loving. They were in this together. The two of them.

The circumstances didn't matter.

It didn't matter who the father was. It didn't matter if they were facing a ridiculously impossible scenario because they would face it together. They were facing it together, and there was no hesitation, no doubt. It was as simple and natural as breathing. No matter what Naruto would decide, Sai knew in that moment that he would stand by him.

"It's not weak to accept help," Sai declared wholeheartedly, his pale face alit with passion and his dark usually cold eyes gleaming.

Naruto was shell-shocked to be greeted with such uncharacteristic fierce determination.

He had spent his entire childhood all alone… but maybe… maybe that wasn't entirely true. Through the rain of insults, the assault of scathing remarks and the haughty looks, Sai… Sai was always there. Just him and Sai.

Naruto flashed him a smile- weak, but genuine.

"I-I'm just so… confused, Sai. I don't know what to do. This… this is just…"

"Overwhelming?" Sai offered to his struggling friend.

"Yeah. Overwhelming," Naruto sighed, a bit disgruntled.

"Being Hokage. It was always my dream. It was my entire life. It consumed me. It was the only thing I saw," Naruto confessed softly, playing with the hem of his jacket.

"Why are you speaking in the past tense?" Sai asked, confused as to why Naruto was divulging something so blatantly obvious to him. It's not like he had ever kept his ambitions a secret. As a child, he would yell them on rooftops for all to hear. When his best friend refused to look at him and wholly concentrated on the hem of his shirt, it dawned on him like a blazing sun.

"You're giving up," he whispered more to himself than to Naruto. "You're giving up," he repeated, the shock washing over his features. "You're a coward," he said quietly, not as an accusation, but as a revelation.

He dropped the cyanide-filled word like a devastating bomb.

_Coward_.

The ugly word.

And the reaction was violent too.

"I AM NOT!" Naruto had begun, jumping to his feet, his normally deep blue eyes blazing with fiery crimson anger.

He turned around, and there stood Ayame- beautifully kind Ayame, huddled to herself, an amalgamation of disapproval and fear swirling in her dark eyes.

He was losing control again. He inhaled deeply, and threw the poor girl an apologetic glance.

"I'm not… I'm not giving up. It's just… A baby. That's a big thing," he said meekly, taking his respectful seat.

"You have options," Sai said gently, as if weary to not infer further wrath.

"Yeah," Naruto said with abandon.

Yeah. Options.

As if that was any consolation.

"Are you… are you going to keep it?" Sai asked carefully, fumbling with his words.

Naruto looked at his best friend helplessly.

Was he going to keep it?

Was he going to keep the baby? _His _baby? His flesh and blood. His child.

"I… I don't know," Naruto said softly like a broken man. Like a broken child.

"Okay," Sai nodded unsurely and somewhat awkwardly.

"I just… I don't," he insisted, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"Okay," Sai repeated somewhat more firmly.

"I don't kn…" Naruto started, almost whining in frantic desperation.

"Okay. You don't know," Sai spoke, the confusion evident on his pale ghostly features.

"I'm not a bad person," Naruto whispered breathily, clenching his white-knuckled fists.

"I know," his friend said calmly, but Naruto wouldn't meet his eyes. If was almost as if he couldn't hear him, couldn't _see_ him. Sai knew instinctively that Naruto was far away. He was unreachable

"I'm not," he breathed softly almost to himself and began quaking as if in trance.

"I know," Sai repeated for the umpteenth time, somewhat dazed by Naruto's honest display of such vulnerability. In all his years of friendship, never had he seen Naruto so genuinely _afraid_ of something. Even when, as genin, they would encounter perilous opponents, Naruto would outrageously boast about his fearlessness. He would put on a mask of bravado, which often times was a very stupid move- but in some deeply contradicting way, it was reassuring. Sai and Sakura found something oddly reassuring to them about Naruto's display of confidence. The blind faith. If Naruto said they'd get through it, then they'd get through it. As simple as breathing.

"I'm…"

"Naruto," Sai began gravely, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder. The uncharacteristic act of affection caught Naruto off-guard, making striking blue meet onyx. Cold fingers gripping his shoulders forcefully, dark eyes _searing_ in blue. "I _know_."

Naruto looked away. He couldn't bear to look into such fierce intensity; he would crumble. And that's the last thing he wanted to do right now- further disintegrate his ever waning masculinity.

Then, a sigh, "I just… there is so much that can go wrong… there is so _much_ to consider."

He paused, weighing his words as he peered tentatively into Sai's dark eyes, searching for an iota of understanding, longing for a whisper of, "_You're not alone_" to swell his heart. Searching, searching, but finding none.

"W-what if…" he began, stuttering feebly. He took a second to compose himself. This was not the time, nor the place to have a public breakdown. "What if he doesn't… what if there can be… what if there will be some… some… I don't know, some like chakra transfer between Kyuubi and… the child? What if _it_ doesn't come out… normal? Whole? What if there is something wrong with my child?" he said, motioning his hands to express what words could not.

Sai looked at his friend, the pain contorting his features. There it was again. Sai saw real unbidden _fear_ in his friend's crystalline blue eyes. Fear for the future. Fear for the unknown. Fear for his child… almost like a parent would. Sai made a face at that thought. Naruto, the Class Clown, the Dead Last, a parent. A scared parent.

And blue, blue eyes brimming with the burden of familiarity ; an agonized whisper ,"Or what if I keep my child? It'll be a freak of nature. A child conceived by two men and born by a man! It'll be shunned. It'll grow up in _shame_ and _hatred_…"

He held an iron grip on Sai's wrists.

Did he understand? Did he understand now the implications of this pregnancy? Did he understand _how much_ could go wrong?

Did he understand how he could fucking _destroy_ a child's life?

Sai refused to meet his eyes, irrationally afraid to face his molten lava of vulnerability.

"And what if I tell sensei? He's the captain of the fucking ANBU! If the council of Elders find out what transpired between us, he'll lose his reputation… and he hates me. He hates me, and he'll want nothing to do with me and our child. I don't want our child to grow up thinking that it… that he/she was unloved, unwanted by their own father!" Naruto cried out madly, for a fractional second vermilion bled into deep blue. Sai bit his lower lip, his face harbouring his usual stoic, as honed claws dug into his skin.

"And if I give up the child for adoption… I don't want _it_ to grow up in an orphanage staring enviously at all the normal children of the Academy with their loving parents, being scolded, and being happy, and being frustrated and being together. I don't want my child to have that stab of a whisper, '_I want that too_' haunt him for the rest of his or her life. I don't want my child to be alone like I was. I… I don't want my child to be alone," he bit out desperately, wildly like a lost child searching for home. And Sai couldn't look. He couldn't look and face the ghosts of loneliness linger about his best friend. Ghosts that haunted him, that stalked him his entire life. Being alone. The gaping consuming hole. The hollowness. The gut churning yearning to belong. It hurt. It hurt. God damnit, it still _hurts_.

"And what about…" Sai began, then stopped abruptly.

A pause.

Hesitance.  
Carefulness.

"Abortion?"

The dirty word, he spoke it softly.

"Abortion," Naruto repeated, thick-tongued; the word heavy on his chapped lips. He slowly loosened his grip on Sai's pale wrist, eventually letting go.

"What happens now?" Sai asked, staring at the red fading handprint on his wrist.

"Tsunade-baachan wants to see me today. She wants to discuss about my… er… predicament, I guess," he said, awkwardly getting up and self-consciously rounding his shoulders around himself, almost as a protective shield.

"I'm coming," Sai said casually, as if discussing the weather.

"That's unnecessary," Naruto said dismissively.

"I'm coming with you," Sai repeated authoritatively- his determination catching Naruto off guard.

"Why do you care so much, Sai? You're not my child's father," he bit out in aggravation.

Sai didn't bat an eyelash.

"I'm coming," he said simply with complete certitude.

"I have to go," Naruto huffed in irritation, walking away from the stand.

Sai stared at his wrists. He wanted to press the issue more, but decided against it when whipped with Naruto's obvious emotional exhaustion. The boy was so damn tired. And Sai wanted to help. He sighed in aggravation. If he could… if he could just do something, _anything_, just to wash that look of pained desperation off his face even for a moment, he would. He would fucking move Heaven and Earth for his most cherished friend. He really would. But he couldn't. He was helpless. Powerless. _Weak_.

"Hey Sai," Naruto whispered, stopping just before leaving.

A modest, shy smile. A sincere sign of appreciation. Blue eyes shimmering.

A warm whisper, "_Thank you_."

Sai couldn't stop staring at the horizon.

XXX

She stared at the door, bored, the glass of sake heavy in her hands.

Any second now.

And sure enough, her guest came waltzing in, guns blazing.

"Old hag, what's wrong with me?!" Naruto asked abruptly, violently swinging the door open in his usual rambunctiousness.

He barged in her office as his custom, red-faced from yelling, and Tsunade stared at the brat with an amalgamation of fondness and boredom. This was serious. Times were difficult. And her brat… the brat will never change. Her brat. She swallowed the growing smile on her face with a bitter gulp of sake.

"I've taken some necessary precautions," she said severely, motioning for the ninja to take a seat before her.

Naruto stared at her suspiciously, unimpressed by with her aura of authority.

He wearily took a seat, "Quit stalling. What the hell is wrong with me?"

Tsunade sized the boy up, unmindful of his usually intolerable belligerence. The boy. The man. Boy. Man. Man. The boy she witnessed blossom into a man.

"I don't think it's safe for you or your child to stay in Konoha right now," she said firmly, surveying Naruto as his face contorted at the mention of his child. Contorted, as if he swallowed a sour pill.

"I'm no coward!" Naruto exclaimed, outraged at the sole thought of leaving his hometown, getting up in his untamed fury and knocking the chair down. What the hell was up with everyone today?!

Tsunade could feel the nauseous red chakra seeping from him. She violently slammed her glass on the desk, and got up, the green vein on her forehead pulsing feverishly. Her hands, flat-palmed on her desk, were trembling from the intensity of her rage. Naruto gulped, slowly sitting back down.

"BRAT!" she bellowed with such viciousness that the crimson chakra evanesced from sight. This is not a question of cowardice, you idiot! This is about what's doing right for that mini brat growing inside you! And right now, it is not safe for you to stay in the village. You are my shinobi and as your Hokage, I am sending you away on a mission. You. Have. No. Say. Whatsoever. Am I clear, baka?" she said slowly, voice oozing with the sadistic promise of pain.

"What are you so afraid of?" Naruto asked softly, averting his eyes.

Tsunade massaged her forehead.

"Does Uchiha know?" she inquired softly, blatantly ignoring the boy's question.

Naruto gave her a hesitant look. Then, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, he laughed self-consciously.

"I…err… no," he said hesitantly, a quaint smile splayed on his lips.

"Good," was Tsunade's unexpected reply. Naruto stared, mouth agape. "I advise you to keep it from him… at least for a bit," she continued nonchalantly, pouring more sake in her glass.

"What?!" Naruto shrieked in bewilderment. "I… I don't get you! Just a few hours ago you were lecturing me about how a father has the right to know, and now all of a sudden you want me to keep it from him? Make up your mind, damnit! I'm confused enough as it is, and you're not making things any easier!" he howled,

"Calm down, Naruto," Tsunada wheeze out, coughing violently.

Naruto sat up abruptly, rushing to her side, concern engulfing him. The sound of her cough was intestine-binding. It was like the sound of an aggressive bark of a dying mutt. She put her hand up to stop him from coming any nearer, the handkerchief secure around her mouth.

"Agitation… is… not… healthy for the… c-child," she utterled slowly, in between rough coughing spells.

"Sit down," she barked, once the fit dispelled.

Naruto complied reluctantly, the worry evident in his eyes.

"Trust me on this. Please? Just trust me," Tsunade asked softly, firmly, folding the bloodied napkin away from sight, hoping to erase the worry from her brat's heart.

"When do I leave?" Naruto whispered with abandon.

XXX

He knew what would greet him before he even opened the door. The refined chakra seeped through the dilapidated wooden door. It wasn't like he was trying real hard to dissimulate it. Naruto had an inkling that _he_ wanted his presence to be known.

And from here he could,

Take a few instances to brace himself to face his fearsome Goliath.

He could also take this God-given opportunity to turn around, hit the ground running, shrieking like a prepubescent boy.

Or, he could just barge in and face his demons. A swift rip, like a bandage. Quick and painless.

The thought made Naruto scoff. As if anything with the bastard was ever quick and painless.

"Don't even try to mask your chakra, dobe. I can hear you breathing from here," said the oh so familiar snarky voice he had been dreading to hear.

"You broke into my apartment. I'm pretty sure that's illegal," Naruto huffed, entering his dark home.

There, sitting crossed-leg on his kitchen counter like some serene Bhuddist deity was his formidably terrifying sensei. Ghastly porcelain white was contrasting almost eerily with the blackness of his humble home. The violent blend was strangely appealing.

It felt like he had been there for eons- a porcelain doll part of the homely décor.

Like he had always been here.

Like he _belonged_ here. With him. In his home.

And such a dangerous thought petrified him.

"Perks of being a captain," Sasuke succinctly replied, his face unmoving, statuesque.

And more than once, Naruto had to wonder if the man was a human- the living, breathing alive kind of human, that is.

Naruto grumpily said, "I've had a long day. Make it quick and get out."

And Uchiha Sasuke sat, completely poised, swiping his jet-black bangs from his ashen face utterly immune to his pupil's scorching glare.

And Uzumaki Naruto stared, utterly bewildered with a swirl of soot-deep aggression raging in the pit of his stomach.

How _dare_ he?

How dare he sit in his kitchen as if it was his?

How dare he be so… relaxed and majestically unemotional and so goddamn perfect when he fucking shoved Naruto's life into a vicious blender and grinded it to shreds?!

How dare he use his body as if he owned him?

How dare he use his body for his own selfish needs and discard him, throw him away like some cheap, used Kleenex?!

How dare he use him, _abuse_ him like he was worthless? Like he was useless? Like he was nothing? Cipher. Garbage. A shadow. A nobody.

How fucking _dare_ he?!

The epitome of calmness.

A purse of lips, then, "So… you're not dying?"

In an instant, the angerrageresentment boiling over madly inside him paused to pave the way for bewildermentconfusionsurprise.

"W-what?" Naruto asked in a shrilly stutter, nearly choking on his own saliva.

It could have been a question or a statement, Naruto didn't know.

Annoyance roared in pools of black.

"I'm not repeating myself," was the moody assertion that came from Sasuke.

"Yeah, I'm not dying," his charge mumbled somewhat awkwardly, opening the fridge and helping himself to a carton of milk. He carefully inspected the carton, the best-before date erased. He opened the folded flap and took a sniff. It didn't smell too bad.

Soured milk can't kill their baby, right?

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

His.

His. His. His.

His baby.

Not theirs.

Never theirs.

He roughly dumped the carton in the trash.

Shit. He needed to sleep.

"Dobe," the low masculine octave that unmistakeably belonged to only one person called out, breaking him out of his musings.

Shit. He really needed to pay more attention and quit zoning out. It couldn't be healthy to be constantly so jumpy, as if he were repeatedly being hammered with a hot blazing orange iron.

"What?!" he asked through gritted teeth with barely tamed aggression. It took all his willpower and then some to not pummel that smug face into a bloody pulp.

Sasuke, in one swift movement that Naruto could barely follow, elegantly hopped off the counter and landed on his feet.

"Tomorrow, I expect you to be at training grounds. Not a second late, got that?" a curt order delivered in a cold, clipped tone.

The I-don't-give-a-shit-about-you nonchalant aura oozing from his pores at full throttle once again.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. And here he thought, for a second, the jerk might give a damn.

Oh, the follies of a gullible heart.

"You're a real bast-"

"Fifty extra laps tomorrow," dark eyes narrowed into threatening slits dangerously, promising pain.

And in a rare moment of wisdom, Naruto promptly shut up. He had no fight left in him. Not today, at least. He wearily stared at his sensei. The great Uchiha heir. The stealthy killer. The cold-hearted assassin. The deadly ninja. The father of his baby.

_Please leave. Just please, please, please. _

"And you're paying for the boots," Sasuke added bitterly, the vein on his forehead throbbing madly.

_Pleasepleaseplease. Pleasepleaseplaese._

"Anything else, your Highness?" Naruto asked sourly, dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes," his sensei answered, dusting himself. "Now, you go to sleep," Sasuke spoke firmly in a menacing tone that left no room for argument- Naruto's heart skip a beat.

Naruto stared after his sensei, wide-eyed and heart hammering madly. It couldn't be. It couldn't be. It…

_He came here to check up on me_.

_He came here to check up on me._

_He came here to check up on… me._

_He came here to check up on me…_

And God knows how long his sensei had been sitting here idly, waiting.

And, suddenly, in one of those flashbulbs moment, he could see it.

He could see it all.

He could see it all working out someday, somehow; magically.

Uchiha-sensei and him, living under one roof.

Bickering, bantering, fighting…

Loving their child.

And maybe, maybe even on some deeper level, respecting each other.

And, suddenly, he could see himself running up to the bastard right now.

Just as shout of, "Wait!".

And an ominous precursor of, "I have something to tell you" and, "Sit down".

And they would both sit.

And it would be awkward and uncomfortable and mortifying.

And Uchiha wouldn't believe him. He would think of it as some sick, perverse joke.

But maybe after a chat with Tsunade-baachan, he'd be more receptive, more incline to believe him.

And it would be terrifying. But maybe, someday, somehow, magically, it could all work out because…

_He came up to check up on me._

Because he maybekindofsortofalmost… c-cared?

Yet as Sasuke walked out of that door, Naruto stood completely still.

He didn't move an inch.

He didn't even breathe a word.

Because 'magically' didn't happen in real life.

Magically was for wishful thinkers and gullible dreamers.

It was time for Naruto to grow up.

XXX

Naruto decided it was time for him to grow up. Having a baby required a lot of responsibility and maturity.

It was time for Naruto to grow up.

And growing up came in the form a few hard, hasty knocks on a familiar door in the middle of the moonlit, frigid night.

The door cracked open barely an inch.

"What do you want?" the tenant asked gruffly, ruffling his already mussed jet-black hair; yawning.

"Pack your bags. We're leaving for Suna," Naruto said categorically in a tone that left no room for discussion.

Sai nodded, sleep quickly erased from his bleary eyes, and opened the door slightly wider to let the shivering boy in.

This was growing up.

XXX

**Ehehehehehe.**

**Um.**

**H-hiiiii.**

**-hides face under shirt-**

**I've been baaaaaaaad. I knoooow. Bad and negligent.**

**Boo me. Boooo me. I know! I know!**

**I've been in a huge writing funk for the past forever. And I'd like to thank a special someone for her continuous and outstanding kicks to my rear to put them in gear. Her brilliant support warms my heart. The lovely **_**thetwistedtruth**_**, I owe it all to you. Check out her sublime fic, **_**Disadvantaged Children**_**. It's the boom diggity.**

**Also, a huge and sincere thank you to all you guys.**

POLL RESULTS:

Do you think Naruto ever got over his crush?

**WINNER: **HELL NO. Rejection hurts. He still cares. AND IT WILL BLOSSOM INTO L O V E with a whopping 79% of the votes.

**Really? After six years, you guys still believe Naruto is love-stricken? Oh poor guy. What a long, long wait for him. :( **

**New poll question up on profile page.**

**Moreover.**

**Dear readers, **

**Thank you for your continuous/amazing/orgasmic support.**

**You guys rock every single one of my socks.**

**Lots of love,**

**JD.**


	6. This Is How You Build a human Weapon

**Disclaimer:** I will be a drag queen one day. I will. One day. _ONE DAY._ And in my dreams, so will Sasugay. But for now, Naruto is not mine.

**Unbeta~ed**, even though _**MayIFall**_ is the bestest beta ever (and she'd tell me right about now that "bestest" is not a word :] )

_I build myself up and fly around in  
__Circles  
__Wait then as my heart drops  
__And my back begins to Tingle  
__Finally,  
__Could this be it?  
__Should I give up or should I just keep  
__Chasing pavements  
__Even if it leads nowhere?  
__Or would it be a waste  
__Even if I knew my Place?  
__Should I leave it there?_

"_**Chasing Pavements**_**" by Adele**

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER SIX:**

**This Is How You Build  
****A (human) Weapon.**

**_**

**Present.**

XXX

"This is how you build a human weapon," was the first thing she uttered; cold, unnaturally cold green eyes boring a hole into the wall. Her posture stiff, her generally amiable face taut.

It was probably at that instant that he knew that he was soot deep in shit. This was going to be undoubtedly one bone-breaking, death-gripping, soul-searing ride- and that was putting it lightly.

Naruto gulped the lump of saliva (nervousnessanxietyheartache) uneasily.

"This is how you build a human weapon," Sakura repeated thickly, gravely, without a trace of mirth or camaraderie.

Her hands of steel, steady.

This is how you build a human weapon.

She could have been saying, "This is how you ruin a life."

"This is how you destroy a person."

"This is how you obliterate your friends' trust in you."

"This is how you _royally_ fuck your life over."

Naruto sat, hands in his laps, shoulders hunched forward, unconsciously trying to look as small as he felt.

"Naruto," boomed Gaara's sharp voice, resonating in the imperious chambers of the Kazekage's office.

His light emerald eyes shown eerily in the dim lighting, almost fluorescent.

Naruto tentatively peered up, only to be smacked in the face with a violent swirl of emotions. Worryfearcaring.

He clicked his tongue in irritation.

That look. That look that made him want to claw his eyes out. He didn't want to see _that_ look. The look of Pity. The ugly word. The intense condescending gaze. The grotesque look only reserved for the lesser humans.

First Sai, then Tsunade and now Gaara.

Between Sakura's inexplicable coldness and Gaara's overwhelming uncharacteristic concern, Naruto was asphyxiating on the nothingness of it all, as though someone had stuck a two-feet iron tube down his throat.

His larynx clamped up. The bile rose, scorching its was up his oesophagus. And he's gagging on the acrid taste of Guilt.

_This is how you build a human weapon_.

And Gaara surveyed him like a hawk, commiting his every move, his every breath to memory with a certain morbid fascination.

"This is important," Gaara chided, perhaps sensing his fellow Jinchuuriki's cumbersome discomfort.

_This is important_ or rather, "You should listen," went unsaid.

And he was listening! Naruto fumed silently, wringing his hand together as he glued himself further to his chair. Or at least, he was _trying_ to listen, but it wasn't such an easy task considering he shouldn't even _be_ here in the first place!

He should be back in Konoha, working on team bonding with the bastard and Sai and Sakura because Tsunade and Kakashi, when teamed up, form a very powerful, fear-inducing and sadistic duo. Their word is Law.

He should be back in Konoha. His home. He should be protecting the villagers, fighting for peace, fighting for his precious people.

Naruto nodded weakly.

This is how you build a human weapon.

It made sense. What Sakura said, it made sense.

He had always admired her shimmering brilliance. As children, it was her beauty that caught his attention, but it was her sheer intelligence that made him respect her as a fellow ninja later in life.

This is how you build a human weapon.

You take a demon host, a Jinchuuriki, who in this scenario happened to be Naruto.

The dumber the Jinchuuriki, the better it is- Sakura didn't say such blunt, cruel comments, but as Naruto sank lower in his seat in utter mortification, he surely felt like the world's biggest idiot.

The dumbest, stupidest idiot to have ever walked this Earth.

You then take a faction of fearsome, dangerously powerful ninjas who have access to forbidden, heretic jutsus that defy the very laws of Nature.

An extremely potent ninja will then cast a devastating jutsu should he face the aforementioned Jinchuuriki.

"The exact nature of the jutsu is unknown," Sakura declared matter-of-factly, pushing a feathery pink strand of hair behind her ear. The epitome of professionalism. "At this point, we can only assume some of the consequences of the jutsu with fair accuracy, but the full extent of its power escapes us," she uttered slowly, enunciating each word, and consciously avoiding Naruto's expressive eyes like the plague.

Suna. A month ago. The Akatsuki attack. The queer heat penetrating his pores. The blurred handseals.

It hit him like a speeding bullet train. Naruto bit his chapped lower-lip; a nervous tick he had since he was a child. He clasped his eyes shut and held back a heaving sigh threatening to cascade from his lips.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Sakura brought diagrams.

Actual diagrams.

To… err… _clarify_ the… um… situation.

"To humiliate me," Naruto thought bitterly, clenching his hands in a painful fist.

He deserved so much worse than humiliation though. Naruto swallowed audibly.

"Here's what we do know," Sakura cleared her throat, pointing at the anatomical figured on the descriptive poster.

The jutsu consumed chakra. It used chakra to transform his insides, morph his physiological figure.

Into a twisted, disfigured anatomy. An abomination. An unnatural creature. Inhuman. _Beastly._

Naruto bit his lips. Hard. To keep the bile from spilling over.

That was what he had become. On the inside.

Inadvertently, he raised a hand to his mouth.

"The anus then functions almost exactly like a vaginal orifice. However, considering the anus cannot dilate, during birth, the baby will have to be delivered through caesarean section. " she continued casually as though discussing the weather and not some sensitive matter, without the slightest trace of hesitance or shame marring her delicate features.

Naruto blushed beet red to the roots of his hair.

She was doing it on fucking purpose! She was!

He snarled, clawing the plush surface of the armrests, until he caught Gaara's apathetic glare that allayed his boiling wrath.

A small, almost imperceptible nod.

'Calm down,' it said wordlessly.

Naruto sighed. His nose flared as he gulped down a lump of rage and offered him a small, reluctant but grateful smile.

Gaara seemed always had that kind of effect on him. Maybe it was because he was a Jinchuuriki too and therefore more than any other human being on this planet, he understood him. Truly _understood_ him.

Meanwhile, Sakura droned on about the intricacies of the mysterious jutsu, completely oblivious.

An intrinsically complex jutsu that essentially functions in four steps:

First, the jutsu breaks the victims' reproductive and digestive systems down. Disembodies. Dissolves. Viciously rampages.

Then, it reconstructs.

Destruction is easy. Destruction is practically effortless. Destruction is natural. Destruction just consists of acceleration the natural ageing and decomposing biological process. It the transforming, the moulding of the female uterus and fallopian tubes and the whole chebang that drains one to the core.

The metamorphosis requires so much raw chakra that it literally scorches the host from the inside out.

Scorches. Like being thrown headfirst into a blazing fire, burns to a crisp.

"If performed on a weaker person with a lesser chakra reserve, the recipient is likely to die," Sakura spoke solemnly, clicking her tongue against her dry palate.

Reconstruction requires so much chakra that the jutsu is designed to suck a partner's vital energy, chakra before copulation.

Drains the heat from the body. From one's core

Consumes it raw.

Devours it greedily. Hungrily. Unapologetically. Wholly.

And the influx of such raw, violent chakra may have momentarily ruptured the chakra ducts, presumably letting the demon's energy embrace the unfertilized egg.

It is also possible that the exchange of chakra between partners has certain aphrodisiacal effects.

This is how you make a human weapon. You take a strong host to a powerful demon and add the genes of a potent ninja, preferably one who possesses a fearsome Kekkai Genkai. You get what can possibly be the most powerful ninja since time immemorial, should the kid be conditioned to perfection and should the demon's chakra have any sway on the child.

"In other words, if this child," Gaara began slowly, sweeping his emerald green eyes in Naruto's direction, "were to come in the hands of say, Akatsuki- if Akatsuki were to raise and train the prodigy, we would all be in great peril?" he focused back to the pink-haired medic-nin in his usual disinterested manner.

Sakura nodded without sparing the Kazekage a glance and, much to Naruto's relief, she took down the very explicit diagrams.

His child.

A weapon.

A mass murderer.

He bit the inside of his cheek.

His child.

A weapon.

Trained.

Like an animal.

Like a robot.

Like a fucking mindless piece of metal.

A mere tool in the apocalyptic machinations of bloodthirsty sociopaths.

The Kazekage's office was almost a replica of the Hokage's- except more barren, more foreign, more cold. The bright, yellowed walls did nothing to engulf the ashen room in warmth. Three great big windows aligned the wall- with only the bronzed grains of sand lining the horizon. Even the office floor was littered with traces of sand. Battered, wrinkled photographs that were torn up at the edges adorned the empty wall- past kazekages staring into the lens, without an iota of emotion marring their faces. Rigid, blank, serious. Were all great Suna leaders required to be so… _detached_? Naruto wondered helplessly, a protective hand gently rubbing his belly.

"What was in the scroll?" Sai asked suddenly from the seat beside Naruto. He threw him a meaningful glance though Naruto didn't seem to notice. He was a million miles away as he absentmindedly stroked his belly with glassy eyes. Sai threw the Kazekage before him a calculating gaze.

Suspicious onyx met careful emerald.

Both uncertain, guarded and suspicious. Both lifting their heads up in a predatory fashion, surveying the other's every move.

"The scroll warned the Hokage of some suspicious activity involving the Akatsuki that my informants have come across," the Kazekage answered finally after a pregnant pause.

Sai narrowed his eyes after hearing the Kazekage's typical diplomatic, ambiguous answer that revealed absolutely nothing.

"Activities such as…?" he asked, with a pleasantly fake smile stretching his lips.

"Namely their interest in using demon-vessels as concubines and incubating them," Gaara clarified rather casually, surveying Naruto's tense figure from the corner of his eyes.

Concubines.

Naruto grimaced at the sound of the vulgar, filthy word.

What a digusting, wimpy word. It made him sound so weak and pathetic. And _used_. He gasped as his stomach clamped unpleasantly as a flash of Sasuke on top of him, between his legs, all over him, _inside_ him, invading him, his lips open, his dark eyes glazed as sweaty jet black bangs messily clinged to his forehead. Used. Cheap. Worthless.

Used as a concubine.

Naruto shook his head violently.

"Do you think the Akatsuki is aware of Naruto's cuurent… predicament?" Gaara asked presumably to Sakura, though his eyes never once faltered from Naruto. He stared with mild interest at the boy's queer antics.

"No. Hokage-sama kept the situation pretty hush hush. Only a handful of people are aware of it, the majority of which," she said, scanning the room with a professional eye, " are present in this room right now."

"But should they come in possession of such vital information…?" the Kazekage asked, noticing Naruto's figure shaking lightly.

Sakura sighed and rubbed her forehead, trying to allay her throbbing headache.

"The consequences could be disastrous for Naruto, for the child, for… for everyone," she said gravely, shooting a quick glance to the blonde ninja's slightly quaking figure. The knuckles of his clenched fists were white.

"You mean, you think Akatsuki would come after them? After the child?" Sai asked, an uncharacteristic urgent tone to his voice. He hunched forward, his shoulders tense, his face taut as he sat at the edge of his seat.

Sakura eyed her best friend carefully. Sai was worried. Sai was actually worried about _someone_. She shook her head and heaved another sigh. Sai was worried about Naruto. Their best friend. A pang of guilt throbbed inside her chest, yet she still couldn't bring herself to look the boy in the eyes.

"There is no doubt in my mind," she answered straight-forwardly, her unwavering tone not betraying her inner turmoil, "Hell, Hokage-sama believes that they are currently prowling after Naruto."

"Which explains your presence here, taking refuge in Sunagakure," Gaara stated simply, dully, his light green eyes never leaving the small, dazed form of Naruto.

"Umm… yes," Sakura said softly, sheepishly tucking another strand of pink hair behind her ear.

For the first time during the entire debriefing conference, Naruto looked up. He bit his lower-lip and cleared his dry throat in order to draw attention to himself. Three sets of eyes bored into him and he slowly swallowed a lump of incertitude.

"I'd like to speak with you," Naruto said with an eerily calm voice, despite his shaking, livid fists. His deep blue eyes pierced through Sakura, she didn't even have to lift her head to know that he was addressing her. It was the commanding tone of his voice. Commanding, yet gentle. The special kind of gentleness that he only reserved for her. Her breath hitched. "Alone," Naruto clarified, after a moment of silence.

"That is… if you don't mind," Naruto shifted his gaze to Gaara who sat on the Kazekage's chair behind the desk, next to Sakura.

Gaara nodded, he slowly gathered his things and got up.

Sai stared at Sakura's queer behavior. He hadn't been oblivious to her strange silence and distance during the trip to Suna. He had noticed her coldness and reluctance to pay Naruto any heed. He didn't quite understand her, or well females in general, but after all these years of getting beaten to a bloody pulp by the hands of a hot-tempered medic-nin, he learned that it is better to just bow down and apologize whenever faced with the wrath of the crazy female race, even when you're not entirely too sure what you're apologizing for.

He placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave a firm squeeze to it, as he followed Gaara out the room. Naruto looked away, appreciative of his friend's support.

His steps stopped short before the door.

"Hey Sakura," he called out, placing a hand on the doorframe, "whatever Naruto decides to do, we'll be okay with it," he passionately murmured with such fierceness, such authority all Sakura could do was nod meekly in the face of such intensity.

For once in his life, Konoha's number one unpredictable, crazy, spontaneous ninja had actually sat down and thought long and hard about the future. He was growing up. Sai saw it first hand. He was growing up.

Sai threw Naruto an intense gaze, before walking out.

Naruto looked back, making sure that there were no lingering guards before focusing all of his attention to Sakura.

"You know who the father is."

It was a statement, not a question.

Naruto's deep piercingly blue eyes stared right at her, blazing.

The entire trip to Sunagakure, Sakura had walked a good three feet ahead of Sai and him, which required extra effort, considering Sai and himself were pretty stealthy. This resulted in taking extra breaks because she over-exerted herself in her tiresome attempt to avoid them. During breaks though, she would sit apart. Looking away, wilfully isolating herself. And whenever there was something that needed to be communicated, she would solely address Sai in a hardened tone, flashing a dour disposition.

She was his best friend.

His stomach clenched uncomfortably.

Being at the receiving end of her harsh treatment made his intestines churn uneasily.

Sakura shuffled the charts and diagrams silently.

He got up, walked around the table stacked with official paperwork and perched himself on a sandy windowsill, observing the browned sand grains whoosh by from the wrath of the almighty wind. A storm was approaching. No one would dare travel to Suna for at least a couple of days, which meant for the time being, he was safe here.

"You're upset," he said softly, staring at his darkened, calloused hands.

He turned around, bright blue eyes pleading. He held out his hand, an outstretched welcome.

Sakura looked up at him, hesitantly. For the first time, he saw his tiny reflection in those familiar glassy, wavering emerald eyes. She bit her lower-lip and clasped her eyes shut.

Her pale, equally calloused hand (calloused from years of training and fighting with S-class ninjas) in his browned, hardened one.

She sighed as he pulled her towards him lazily wrapping his arms around her smaller frame.

"You've been sighing a lot these past few days. You're upset," he repeated, gently caressing the small of her back.

Sakura lulled her head on his toned, hard chest, getting a waft of his familiar spicy musk. Her palms laid flat on his chest. They weren't pushing him away, just resting there in an intimate gesture of trust.

"I'm not upset," she mumbled after a pause.

"You know about the father," he whispered gently in her ear- soft as a butterfly's kiss. She purred contentedly as he treaded his hands in her short, pink hair.

"Yeah," she muttered none too enthusiastically, her displeasure over the situation evident in her acerbic tone.

She fluttered her eyes shut lazily as he gently played in her hair the way her mother used to when she was just a child.

"I'm sorry," he gulped the lump of guilt down his throat with much difficulty. "I know…" he began slowly, building up his confidence, "I know you like him."

"What?" Sakura asked, outraged, lifting her head from the warm place on his chest. "I'm not… I'm not upset because you slept with… _him_," she said with an uncharacteristic bitter edge.

"_Sakuraaaaaaaa_," Naruto said longingly, like he used to when they were kids back when he was infatuated with her. The familiarity of his voice made her skin tingle pleasantly. She hid her face, pressing it to his chest and allowing herself to smile giddily. "I know you," he finished somewhat sternly.

"Okay. You're right. I did feel a stab of betrayal at first, but it's not because of you… I mean sure, sensei is a hot little stud muffin, but I haven't felt a sense of ownership over him since back in the Academy days when we would fight for his attention," she said, wringing her hands in his shirt. "It's just…" she sighed, closing her eyes, gnawing at her lower-lip. "I thought you would tell me, you know? I thought we were close enough for you to trust me with things like this… I thought," she said hesitantly, lightly pushing him, as she was unable to look at him.

"Everything is such a secret with you," she said softly, dropping her voice to a fluttery whisper, her hand longingly cajoling his cheek.

"Why won't you let me in?"

Barely above a whisper, barely an evidence of it ever being uttered, aside from the bitter taste of yearning lingering on her lips.

"I do! We are!" Naruto cried out passionately, enclosing the dainty hand on his cheek in his warm, warm hand. "I just! Sakura, it's not how you imagined it happened," he pleaded, his warm, concerned eyes searching for understanding in her deep depths of emerald.

"Then tell me!" she exclaimed; her heart skipped a beat at the intimate contact of his hand on hers.

"Sakura, we were drunk," he sighed, still firmly holding her hand, lowering it to his chest where his heart was. "There was no precursor, no leading up to it. It just… happened. It wasn't predictable. There is nothing between us. It was a one-time thing. An accident. A mistake," he huffed, bowing his head, unable to look at her anymore. "And frankly, I was too ashamed of myself to tell anyone. Even you. I didn't want you to be ashamed of me, to be…"

In a swift movement, Sakura slapped her free hand on his mouth, effectively shutting him up.

"Shut up," she said fiercely, though the small smile playing on her lips told him that she wasn't actually upset.

"So… how was it?" she asked after a moment of silence, her green, lively eyes twinkling with mischief. She bit her lower lip to keep from grinning madly.

"Ho wash whaa?" Naruto asked as he frowned and tilted his head in confusion, his voice muffled by her hand

"You know… _it_," Sakura answered innocently, removing her hand from his mouth, placing special emphasis on the last word as she made vague, circular hand motions in an attempt to clarify.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he flushed scarlet.

"What?" she asked dumbly, though her gleaming eyes betrayed her coy façade.

Naruto glared at her half-heartedly, but her warm smile melted him instantly. He couldn't resist her carefree smile that was too reminiscent of their genin days… the days before life started getting so complicated. The days before simple was no longer an option.

"To be honest? I don't know how it's supposed to be, I have nothing compare it to… but if it's supposed to be like… _that_, then I will definitely take a vow of celibacy. No sweat," he muttered irritably.

Sakura slapped him forcefully on his chest, causing him to wince. Pregnant men should not be in proximity of volatile, mood swinging women that were oblivious to their own superhuman strength.

"Don't say such horrible things! I'm sure Sasuke is a cougar in bed! You were too drunk to appreciate his skills," she

"You're supposed to be taking my side here," he exclaimed incredulously causing Sakura to giggle.

Naruto glared at his friend.

"You brought diagrams," he huffed moodily.

"It pissed you off, huh?" she asked slyly, her face breaking into a devious smirk.

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at his demonic little friend, his mouth slacking.

"Sakura-chan!! You rott-"

In one fluid motion, she cupped his face gently and brushed her lips onto his. She kissed him. It wasn't a steamy, raunchy or passionate. It wasn't vivid or even remotely sexual. It was just Sakura- Sakura, Sakura, his childhood friend, one time crush, lifelong lifeline, _Sakura_- trying to be as physically close to him as possible. A chaste, butterfly kiss of affection.

"I love you," she whispered sweetly against his lips- the gentle hum thrumming pleasantly on his lips.

"I'll support you no matter what," she mumbled, burying her head against his chest.

He wrapped his strong hands against her smaller frame, clutching her close as he felt her tremble. He let his head fall on her bob of pink hair. Clutching her in a quiet embrace until forever slowly slipped away.

XXX

The sharp glare of the sun made him squint at the horizon.

The sun was nearing its zenith; even if he was by some great stretch of the word, _late_, it was amply clear by now that he was not going to show up any time soon. Sasuke elegantly hopped from the swinging branch without so much of a _crack_.

He dusted his ANBU training clothes, not that there was any need to dust them, but his neurotic side required him to scratch the itch.

So _he_ didn't show up… Not that he was expecting him to make an appearance- he had been warned last night and just as he suspected, the idiot decided to ditch the meeting.

He huffed, gazing at the cloudless sky, his pink lips pressed in an iron thin line. In fact, none of the members of the incompetent band of dunderheads showed up.

So much for that pervert Kakashi's ridiculous team-building probation.

Sasuke swiped his sweaty bangs out of his face. The blond moron not showing up- after _specifically_ reminding him about it, he seethed- was nothing out of the ordinary. That retard would jump at _any_ occasion to undermine his authority… _Just like a petulant child._ _Che_.

Sai, the quiet, eccentric social handicap with an unnerving attachment to the flaxen-haired dumbass ditching the training was also expected. After all, he wasn't the most reliable member of the squad. After years spent teaching the hopeless cases and subsequently training them, he learned that despite the deep, eerie intelligence swirling behind his blank eyes, Sai was always ready to shirk common sense out the window and do the most idiotic things in the name of the retard's happiness.

In fact, Sasuke did not trust the creep one bit. There was something so intrinsically _off_ about the odd boy, he couldn't place his finger on it. If it were up to him, he'd be removed from the team without further ado. The only reason he was kept around was because (and even Sasuke can begrudgingly admit) the fool was an asset to the team. Stealthy like a cheetah, nimble like an impala, as silent as a moth and viciously ruthless as a killer bee. The boy had potential. And his allegiance to Konoha might be dubious, but the kid is so smitten by the blond ( God knows why, Sasuke grimaced) – at least for now Sasuke was a bit more willing to look the other way.

Sasuke clicked his tongue unhappily. He wasn't exactly sure why, but such complete and blind devotion to one being made Sasuke uncomfortable.

Eveytime he saw the fool eyes the retard with such unmitigated, dire devotion, Sasuke had to resist from bashing Sai's head into a tree… who was he kidding? He never resisted.

How could someone so smart just _stupidly_ put so much trust and weight into another human being? Especially to that… dead last? How? How was that even possible?

Sasuke sneered, shaking his head to try to shake the illogical, disturbing thoughts away.

But Sakura. That pink-haired, shrieking, oestrogen-inhaling unwoman (because no _real_ woman could possible pack a bitch punch like that slobbering beast) not showing up?

Rain or shine, the pest was _always_ there with her sickly saccharine voice and her starry eyes.

Hell, it was always such a challenge to get rid of her.

An unpleasant memory of the hot springs, a slipped towel and the scariest, most mentally scarring look of complete and uncontrolled beastly hungerlust look on a feminine face he has ever seen flashed in his mind. He shuddered as the slick feeling of disgust crawled its way up his spine.

Resolute, he clambered his way to the one place he would surely get answers.

XXX

She ground her legs to the floor, shooting a weary, impatient glance to the side. Nope, the duo was still in the midst of a heated discussion, not sparing her a look. She wiggled her hips unhappily, her snout pressed to the floor.

Grunting and snorting and groaning her displeasure, she began to roll on the ground, kicking her stout legs up in the air.

"Oh, for goodness sake! Get a grip, Ton Ton," the big-breasted woman boomed irritably from behind the desk. "Go do you job, Shizune. Feed the damn prissy thing," she muttered causing Ton Ton to whimper from the harsh treatment.

_Life as a pig was unfair._

Shizune threw the whiny pig a sympathetic look and turned her attention back to her increasingly short-tempered boss.

"I'm just saying… you made the right decision," the apprentice tried to offered as reconciliation.

"I don't need to hear that," Tsunade barked back curtly, rubbing her temples, elbows perched on her desk.

"B-but, you did! Naruto, he's better off-" Shizune began urgently, her chocolate eyes earnest.

Tsunade slid her eyes shut and authoritatively raised her hand, signalling her assistant to be quiet.

"Listening to something interesting, Captain?" Tsunade gritted out, upon hearing the familiar rustling of clothes.

Shizune nearly had a heart attack when a dark figure suddenly appeared in the frame of the window with a gust of breezing wind that made her garments flow.

"Hokage-sama," was the deep rumble that slipped smoothly out of the young captain's tongue as he gracefully jumped from the ledge and seemingly glided into view.

He bowed lowly- but even through the veil of jet-black bangs and the snake-patterned mask, Tsunade could decipher the trace of a smirk flirting his lips. Oh, she _knew_ the cocky assface was _smirking_ at her. The vein on her forehead began to throb as her left eye began twitching. _Damn disrespectful brats._

"Shizune!" Tsunade shrieked, her amber eyes searing.

"Y-yes, Hokage-sama!" the mousy apprentice replied meekly, immediately straightening herself and ceasing to gape at the ANBU.

"Take care of that," she nodded gruffly towards the whimpering swine, jutting on the floor.

Shizune quickly bowed a few times, swiftly swooping the whining pig off the floor and huddling to the door, as the pig began snorting contentedly at _finally_ receiving some attention.

"Is there something you want, Captain?" the elderly woman asked in annoyance, slumping in her chair.

The ANBU, after being addressed, slowly straightened from his deep bow.

"Where did you send him off?" he asked, not missing a beat.

Tsunade surveyed her subordinate critically, raising an eyebrow. She had expected to be questioned… but she never anticipated so soon. _Hmm, that is why he is Captain,_ she thought grimly. _Goes straight to the point. The boy's got no tact._

"Him?" she asked coyly, kicking her shoes off and flopping her legs on the table.

The captain's eye twitched behind the mask as Tsunade slouched further. Godaime was the most unprofessional Hokage in the history of Kages. No wonder she was so fond of the usurakontachi.

"You may be a drunken gambling hag, Hokage-sama, but please, don't add 'stupid' to the list of your shortcomings," Sasuke haughtily shot back, crossing his arms on his chest.

"_Captain_," Tsunade drawled out in a dangerously low voice, a crisp edge of warning creeping in as her eyes narrowed. She could just _feel_ the cockiness seep from the rotten bastard's mask. It just _permeates_ about him- like he's God's gift on Earth,

"Where did you send him off? Why was it the right thing to do?" Sasuke persisted, unfazed by the unspoken threat.

"Don't get so cocky. I could relieve you from your duties for good. In a heartbeat, Captain," she articulated in a clipped tone, her index finger on her left temple, dangerously close to losing her cool.

The ANBU did not budge an inch.

"I'm aware of that fact," he smoothly replied, the irate confidence emanating from his pores.

Sasuke stared blankly into those scorching, angry amber eyes that promised much pain. Despite her losing streak and her penchant for overindulging in alcoholic beverages, the sloppy woman slouched in front of him was a force to be reckoned with. Sasuke was no fool, he knew that if she so desired she could make his life significantly harder. She wasn't named one of the three Sannins for nothing. However, he stood there before her, fearless.

She was an intelligent woman. Sasuke's work spoke for itself. Sasuke was- and he admitted this openly- possibly the best captain in ANBU history, second only to Itachi… and even that was a stretch, considering what then became of Itachi; Sasuke grimaced within the confines of his mask. She would not dare touch him or ruin his career because the people of Konoha _needed _him, and as long as she was serving in the best interest of the villagers, she would not sacrifice him.

"I show up for training. You know, the ridiculous strengthening the team's bond exercises that you kindly imposed on us? And lo and behold, I end up training with branches. Care to explain, _Hokage-sama_," he bit out the title acerbically. He knew he was pushing it. He could see the vein come to life, seconds from snapping. Despite his utter confidence and fearlessness, even the great Captain Uchiha did _not_ want to face the volatile woman's wrath.

Tsunade inhaled sharply, sizing up her subordinate with a calculating gaze. She had not anticipated to be questioned this quickly. She grunted- leave it to an Uchiha to come barging in for answers not even a day with his team missing.

"I sent your team on a mission," she said carefully, wondering how much exactly should she divulge to her captain.

"What kind of mission?" he questioned, his sharp onyx eyes narrowing.

"I'm afraid, _captain_," Tsunade bitterly began, mimicking her insolent subordinate's mocking tone, "I cannot disclose such confidential information."

She smiled haughtily, exposing her pearly white teeth.

_Probably another illusion_, Sasuke rolled his eyes, unimpressed.

"Why is my team unassisted?" he pressed further, not at all pleased by her short, unsatisfying answers. If she wanted to try his patience, she was succeeding… but he wouldn't let her win so easily.

"I need you here to handle something else. A month ago. The attack in Sunagakure. Naruto believed to have seen _you_ perform a jutsu on him… you or someone who looked just like you before passing out. Black silky hair… but longer. Ring any bells?" she said casually, smirking when she noticed the cocky figure tense up at the new piece of information.

"And the probabtion?" Sasuke asked tersely, his mind whirring at the implications of her statement.

Black hair. _Longer_. Itachi. _Damnit._

"Extenuating circumstances call for exceptions, ne?" she offered succinctly.

"You're hiding something from me," he ground out, trying to keep his composure, something that wasn't easy to do when… _…_

He miserably clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth.

"You've become paranoid, Captain," Tsunade said lightly, noting with amusement how her subordinate was fisting his upper arm- the muscles in his tense arms flexing subtly.

"Where did you take that idiot?" Sasuke demanded harshly, not in the mood for the cryptic Kage's mind games.

"I find it strange that you're only preoccupied with the brat's whereabouts when your entire squad is absent," Tsunade observed aloud, her deceivingly youthful face breaking out into a contemplative smirk.

Sasuke snorted, unamused. He ran his hand through his dark tuft of hair rather aggressively. _Itachi_. Fuck.

"Mark my words, I _will_ get to the bottom of this," he gritted out, the sheer dark determination ringing in his low octave.

Tsunade banged her desk with her fist forcefully, causing it a serious crack to form, weakening the already abused piece of furniture.

"I don't take being threatened lightly, Captain," she boomed, the same lethal edge creeping into her voice, promising much pain.

There was something going on. Sasuke _knew_ there was something going on. The retching on the boots yesterday. The absence from training later in the day. The look of utter exhaustion on his pupil's face last night. The secrecy. And now, the disappearance. He couldn't quite piece it together, but he knew _something_ was going on. And that the Hokage wouldn't trust him, the fucking captain for crying out loud! with this piece of information made his blood boil like molten lava threatening to erupt from a dormant volcano.

"Did something happen to him?" he asked carefully, treading into dangerous territories.

Tsunade stared at the young man before him. Survivor of the Uchiha massacre. Child prodigy. Captain of ANBU. Mountain-full of people sang the man's praises.

He was skilled. Everyone knew it. There was no doubt about it.

But, _lord!_ Did the man have issues. Tsunade cocked her head to the side, appraising the lean, muscled, broody figure before her. She supposed it was only natural, considering the childhood trauma he had lived through. The stigma to his being. An inherent part of who he is, of who he has become. _Etched_ into his being, like a regretful tattoo.

He was flawed. Deeply flawed… and he was the father of her gaki's baby. Didn't he have a right to be a part of the child's life? The coveted revival of his clan. Didn't fathers have a right to know about their child's existence… after all, he bears half of the blame. She looked him from head to toe. What a stubborn, arrogant, infuriating, impossible to live with, beautiful man.

"My, my, does the youngest Uchiha happen to grow a heart?" she teased lightly, a resonating, dull pang in her chest. The father of Naruto's baby.

She pursed her lips.

What if… what if she told him? What if she allowed him the chance to… to show her that this could work, that… that he could _know_ and be by Naruto's side and be supportive and be mature and they could raise this child despite their fucked-up circumstances and protect the little bundle of stubborn from the dangers that loomed about?

"That retard is a disgrace to the force! I'd be happy only when he is removed from my team and revoked as a ninja of the state. But these secrecies concerning _my_ team- no matter what dunderheads the team consists of- is unacceptable," Sasuke seethed in a vicious rant, clenching his fists until his knuckles whitened to a ghastly degree; almost possessive in a mindless, childlike fashion.

Tsunade sighed. And yet, still so immature. She shook her head, resolute.

No, no. She cannot allow herself to be weak, to fall in the face of duty. No matter how much her heart protested, what must be done, must be done.

Sasuke _cannot_ know.

"I believe I am the judge of what is or is not acceptable around here," Tsunade spoke crisply, removing her legs from the desk with a certain air of finality

"You-"

"Uchiha, you're dismissed," she hushed curtly, leaving no room for discussion.

The angry figure stiffened. His displeasure with her harsh dismissal was flagrantly obvious- she smugly smirked, flashing her brilliantly white teeth. One-upping the rottenly cocky Uchiha was quite a guilty pleasure of hers.

"Oh… and Captain?" she began in a sickly saccharine voice. "Threaten me one more time and I will have you removed from the force."

She punctuated each word with a latent menace; her amber eyes eerily alit, dark shadows fliteering in her honeyed irises.

She observed with mild interest as her subordinate proceeded to bow with much arrogance and defiance in his movements. He was wound up so tight, it was a wonder the young man didn't snap in half.

"Hokage-sama," he hissed through gritted teeth, before evanescing into thin air.

"I did the right thing," Tsunade weakly mumbled to herself as she dispassionately stared at the dissipating smoke lingering in the air.

"I did the right thing," she repeated, her back hitting the dossier of her chair, sighing as she helplessly looked to the grand figures of past leaders for validation.

_The… right… thing…_

She sighed morosely before a coughing spell got the better of her.

XXX

Sasuke angrily paced to and fro, his boots _clip clopping_ harshly on the thick, battered dirt road.

"You're late," he hissed, closing his eyes in much annoyance.

Had Sasuke been a less patient man, he would have decked the insolent brat long ago. But such acts of careless violence would defy the purpose of summoning the idiot in the first place.

"F-forgive me," muttered the figure, somewhat startled that the great man before him had picked up his veiled presence instantly. Crouching before Sasuke, his head hung low in respect or in fear… Sasuke didn't know, nor did he quite frankly care.

He threw an icy, nonchalant glare his way- not that the miserable kneeling creature could see it through the mask, but he was confident that his sneer transcended mere barriers such as ANBU masks. If the quaking figure before him was anything to go by, he'd say he was bang on right.

"I need you to deliver a message for me," he began, surveying his surroundings.

Crimson bled into his dark irises, madly swirling. His scarlet eyes cautiously swept over his surroundings for the umpteenth time. No sign of life. Good.

He waited until the figure bowed lower as a sign of acceptance before proceeding.

"Tell Uchiha Itachi that the Kyuubi vessel has been sent into hiding, courtesy of the Godaime."

XXX

He nervously licked his chapped lips, smoothing out the crevasses with his wet tongue.

He swept his tongue over his lips again and again, darkening their shade of pink.

His right leg obsessively fidgeted as he wrung his hands a couple of times behind his back. He needed air. He needed oxygen. He needed to fucking _breathe_. He needed to get out of here. To pace. To cogitate. To do something other than stand here so helplessly. To jump off a fucking cliff, smash his guts to smithereens so at least _then_ he'd be ridden of these damn fucking agitating butterflies for once!

"Naruto."

Preoccupied sapphire eyes caught onto calm, authoritative emerald ones.

'_Relax_'- he could hear the gruff, husky tone of his friend's voice trying to steel his jumpy nerves.

He had to calm down. He had to calm down.

Light green eyes bore into him. _Relax._

Naruto took a deep breath, unable to look away as he gnawed his abused lips.

"We're waiting," Sai grumbled impatiently, his annoyed voice breaking the intensive stare. He crossed his arms over his chest almost petulantly. He did not like the was the Kazekage was hungrily, _greedily_ looking at his best friend. He did not like it one bit.

Sakura, for her part, gasped, shoving roughly her insensitive teammate in the arm and throwing him a scorching glare full of menace.

Naruto smiled weakly at his teammates' childish antics. _Somethings never change_. His tongue darted out again, licking his lips.

He exhaled deeply, his hand briefly lingering on his stomach. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Not quite touching it, but just hovering over it, almost protectively. Instinctively. _His _child.

Looking down to his still flat stomach, he wondered dazedly how he would look like with a baby bump. Monstrous? Revolting? Unnatural? A freak of nature?

"I-I have decided," he whispered shakily, trying to keep the unpleasant thoughts at bay.

All at once, as though a powerful vacuum sucked all sound from the room, Naruto's ears began ringing. Everything, everyone in the room stiffened. Naruto could literally hear their ears straining for what was to come. He could even hear his erratic heart _hammer_ in the thick, penetrating silence, thudding away at his ribcage. He wondered… if he listened hard enough, would he also hear his child's?

He couldn't bear to glance their way.

To see the .

He shut his eyes with much difficulty.

He opened his mouth, the word heavy on his dry tongue.

Weighing it down.

Sticking to it, like pollen to a shirt.

In the Kazekage's ostentatious office, only one thick, heavy word echoed in the shattering silence.

"Abortion."

This is how you dismantle a human weapon.

XXX

**Clarifications:**

**In case you are confused and/or wondering, the first part of the chapter (the one focusing on Naruto and Sakura) does not take place at the same time as the second part of the chapter (conversation between Sasuke and Tsunade). The first part occurs a few days **_**after **_**the second part- the scene is set in Suna and presumably it takes a couple days' travel to reach there. The second part takes place the morning after chapter five.**

**I would like to give a huge, wholehearted thank you for all those who reviewed, favorited, added to C2, messaged me, voted in the polls, bummed around aimlessly to this fic waiting for the slow-ass author to update. Thank you for your endless support. Thank you for still sticking around.**

**I hope this chapter was worth your wait. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**A special shout-out to: ****Nozomi-sama**(the wisest teenager I know. Your support means everything to me)** , ****thetwistedtruth**(my soul, my everything, read her story _Disadvantaged Children_! NOW!)**, ****NineTails1991**(my supporter from the very beginning. This Chiquita is brilliant, and her writing shimmers. She's a gem)** and ****crzyanimemom**(the coolest, uberest, quirkiest cheerleader EVAAAR :D RAH! )

**To all my readers, my favorite perverts out there, happy holidays! **


	7. Finally, Finally

**Disclaimer: I shall be a faghag to a glorious geebee one day. I will. One day. **_**ONE DAY.**_

**And in my dreams, Sasuke wears lipstick. But for now, Naruto is not mine. **

Unbeta~ed, because I'm too lazy.

True story, bro.

_I don't want to hurt you  
I don't want to make you sway  
Like I know I've done before  
I will not do it anymore  
I've always been a dreamer  
I've had my head among  
the clouds  
But now that I'm coming down  
Won't you be my solid ground?_

"_**Sway**_**" by The Perishers**

**Disenchanted**

**By**

**JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

**Finally, Finally**

**Time. Skip.**

**8 YEARS LATER.**

XXX

Finally.

Heaven knows this day was a long time coming.

And he knew it, he could have predicted it.

The way his bed creaked this morning when he rolled off— a strange, acute, almost stringent creaking, he had noted with morbid fascination. You have to understand, his bed never creaked. Nor did it crack or crick or croc. It was perfectly crisp at all times. Firm, but smooth, the springs never once complaining underneath his weight. But today, it creaked, and Sasuke was not a superstitious guy, but he knew that for _his_ bed to creak, it had to be a bad omen.

And after being torn over the strange auditory occurrence, Sasuke noted much to his sheer horror, that he had a perfect round of saliva staining his pillow. An eerie perfect sphere of wetness on his firm-but-not-too-firm pillow. Sasuke _never_ drooled. It just… It didn't happen. Monkey drooled. Apes drooled. Baboons drooled. Lesser humans drooled. But Sasuke did no such thing! It was just… physiologically impossible.

But today of all days, Sasuke… Sasuke drooled.

And that wasn't even the worse part.

Oh no, there was more. After applying a perfect curve of toothpaste on his toothbrush (5.7 ml, not that he actually measured…) – which lasted him for exactly 243 strokes with 3 rinse breaks scattered in between— Sasuke realized he had run short.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, when at his 137th stroke, he realized that he was running short of freshness of the toothpaste.

Oh no. It couldn't be. Had he _not _applied the right amount? Surely the morning's events couldn't have possibly distressed him so? For him to make such a grave mistake?

His toothbrush fell from his limp hand, as he clutched the basin, his head spinning.

He didn't even jump from his sunken position as Kakashi suddenly waltzed right behind him, with an aura of urgency swirling about him.

"Sasuke!" he implored thunderously. "Hurry, it's the Hokage," Kakashi said grievously, before dissipating into thin air as inexplicably as he had appeared not even seven seconds ago.

Sasuke lifted his head up.

He could have predicted it.

XXX

"Why was nobody surveying her?" Sasuke boomed as he angrily paced about the room.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she watched his signature angry pacing, clearly not in the mood to have wild accusations thrown her way, and certainly not by the Uchiha.

_Typical douche bag behaviour. Blame everyone else for his own shortcomings. _

"I don't know, _Captain_. Why don't you tell me?" Sakura retorted acerbically, glaring at her once superior viciously.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and snarled at the once ass-kissingly, sickly sweet young apprentice medic nin. Oh how quickly they change. The change in her demeanour had struck him like a torpedo. Several years ago, back when he was directing the trio of dunderheads— Sai, the creep; Sakura, the useless and Naruto, the dobe. One day, _poof!_ The insolent set of brats had decided to skip practice— practice he was _forced_ to give in the spirit of fucking team bonding after the Suna disaster, he recalled through gritted teeth.

_Fucking brats and their fucking drama._

He grimaced at the memory.

That beastly-breasted Hokage claimed that she had sent the trio on some special mission— but Sasuke wasn't the Captain for no reason. He could smell deception miles away. What with her inconsistent body language, it was practically painted in neon colours; her too intense eyes, her slightly hunched shoulders, the looking down in the left corner for barely a split second.

She had lied to him.

But no one else had seemed to know the answer and no one else seemed to even _care_ that three ninjas directly under the guidance of the captain would mysteriously and spontaneously be sent on such a long-term mission, without his assistance.

He sourly clicked his tongue.

A captain should not be kept in the dark regarding missions! It was his right, his _duty_ to know.

But alas, the stubborn bitch (even though he probably shouldn't be insulting her aloud in a time like this…) didn't let up.

A year had gone and passed, and finally one spring morning— it was like any other spring morning. The air was too thickly damp with the promise of an early afternoon shower, the soggy soil crushed underneath his weight. The musk scent of rain, mixed with the sweetness of just-blossoming flowers hung heavily in the air— a smell that Sasuke rather disliked, he wasn't entirely sure why… perhaps it was others' over fondness of the smell and the stupid, muggy season that repelled him.

The gates to the village were wide open, announcing a new day of business. The normal band of cheerful dunces waltzed in with bright, spring-loving smiles neatly plastered on, making Sasuke's innards churn violently.

And as the nimbostratus gently clouded over the timid sun, he felt a new presence walk through the gate.

Not the typical rather moronic "let's make an idiot of ourselves and dance in the rain" type of visitor— no, this was a very _familiar_ figure. Or at least, looks wise, she was familiar, mused Sasuke.

With the firm, confident clip-clop of sandals, in entered the only naturally pink-haired ninja Konoha has ever had the pride to house.

Sasuke had stopped in his tracks— had he been a lesser man, he would have been gaping at this queer and most unexpected sight. But instead, he just quietly stood in place and observed his former student.

Her hair was slightly longer, but still as bubble-gum pink as ever, and she hadn't grown one bit. Physically, she was undeniably Sakura Haruno.

But, as she strode past him without even sparing him a second glance, Sasuke could tell that something in her had changed.

Soon Sasuke would discover that long gone were the star-struck eyes, the high-pitched hopeful rambles, the longing glances, the nerve-grating heavy sighs.

In its stead stood a young woman who strut through the entrance gates like a man, carried herself around like a man and threw lethal blows like a raging bull… (which also happens to be male, Sasuke reinforced.)

_If it quacks like a duck…_

And however annoying the girl's obsessive infatuation might have been, at least back then, she knew when to shut her cakehole and take orders like a good little underling.

Unfortunately, just when the pink-haired medic nin decided to become useful to society, she also magically grew a very unnerving backbone.

_One step forward, two steps back…_

So now, the wannabe-man on steroids ran around the village, throwing scathing remarks left and right and vocalizing her opinions on everything. Every. _Fucking. _Thing.

You couldn't even give the thing (because Sasuke was honest to God confused about her gender and felt uncomfortable referring to her as a female; he assumed that gender confusion was the most likely source of all her problems) an order without hearing an earful.

"The Hokage was placed under twenty-four/seven supervision, _Haruno_," he bit out the last word as if it was something crude and vulgar. "Where are my men?"

"You don't even know where your little army of muscleheads is?" Sakura asked, incredulous. "My, what competence," she spit out with as much venom as she could muster.

Sasuke derisively snorted, seriously contemplating if he could get away with _Katon_~ing the rotten bitch.

"Shouldn't you be assisting her, _medic nin_?" he sneered, taking relish in his uncanny ability of making even the most noble professions sound so sleazy. He balled his fists at his sides.

_Must not hit woman. No matter how much of a man said woman is._

"She's relatively stable. Hyuuga's with her now," Sakura said softly, her hands on her hips.

Tsunade… Tsunade was like a surrogate mother to her and… _Stop it! Focus!_

Sakura chewed her inner cheek in frustration.

"We have to call the meeting. Is the council of elders aware of the situations?" Sasuke asked, in the most civil tone he could muster at the moment.

"The Hokage is in a coma, _Captain_. A coma. She has been _poisoned_, Captain," Sakura spoke slowly and enunciated each word in a rather insulting and infantilising manner, "Do you honestly think such news could possibly remain hidden from them?" she retorted in clear annoyance.

"Mind your tone, Haruno!" Sasuke growled, with his rage flaring by the second. Even when he _tried_ to be civil…

"You have no authority over me," she cut him sharply, garnering a most lethal look from Sasuke, who was showing a noble level of self-control.

"Children, children, this is neither the time nor the place for such a display," Kakashi abruptly stepped into the Hokage's office, raising his hand to quiet Sasuke when it was obvious that he was going to retort something unpleasant and instigate a verbal warfare. "Our leader has been poisoned. That's a direct attack to our village, our people. What are you thinking, fighting like immature twats? Sakura, as the Hokage's underling, have you alerted the council of the situation?"

The said pink-haired ninja averted her eyes, and for a split second, Sasuke saw the insecure youngling he had taken under his wing way back when.

"I… I didn't need to… they already knew…" she admitted uncomfortably and Sasuke found it hard to believe that _this_ was the face of the enraging shemale who had come to make his life that much more miserable.

"What do you mean they already knew?" Kakashi demanded, in a crisp, alert tone that did nothing to soothe Sakura's budding nervousness.

The cacophonous alarm bells in Sasuke's head began ringing at once.

Something about the entire situation just didn't bode well with him.

He keenly surveyed Kakashi, "I thought you were the one to find her…?"

"I did. On the floor, bleeding. I didn't alert any council elder. The only people I contacted are here in this room, and Hyuuga," Kakashi answered casually, and although there was no change in inflection, Sasuke perceived a slight change in posture that spoke volumes of the seriousness of the situation.

"Hinata wouldn't speak to anyone," Sakura quickly jumped in to the defence of her friend before any wild accusation could be fired. She turned her gaze sharply to her once sensei.

"What are you looking at, Haruno?" Sasuke boomed furiously, when he felt her accusing emerald eyes pierce through him in that typical self-righteous manner of hers.

"Where are your men?" she asked in return, with barely concealed fury buzzing beneath her skin, " The guards you assigned to watch the Hokage— where are they?"

Sasuke, who had become greatly intolerant to all these rotten games, had no patience to play a round of twenty questions.

He gritted his teeth and plainly growled, "What are you insinuating?"

"Why can't you even answer a simple question?" the medic nin shrieked, seconds from gutting him with her kunai. Sadistic? Maybe. Necessary? Definitely.

"Who was on duty, Sasuke?" Kakashi intervened, in all his perfected professionalism.

"The bug freak and dog-breath," Sasuke answered at once; despite Sakura's inane beliefs, he happened to be a _good_, no _great_— and perhaps even the _best_ captain that Konoha has ever bred. He was _always_ on top of things.

Kakashi mulled over this piece of information, being fairly familiar with the likes of those two.

"Sasuke, dispatch your men to go find Aburame and Inuzuka." He then turned to Sakura and shot her a meaningful look. "You. Keep a steady eye on Hokage-sama. We need to find an antidote and it's pressing. I'll go call up the meeting. Sasuke, join me later."

Sasuke nodded curtly and dissipated with an audible _poof!_

Sakura was slack-jaw with astonishment. She wildly flailed her arms in incredulity, angrily pointing to where seconds ago stood one egotistical, arrogant Uchiha Sasuke.

"You're really going to let him find his own men? Do you not see what's happening here? Kakashi-sensei I always thought you were a smart man, but this… this really takes the cake. His men were in _charge_ of guarding Hokage-sama! I know Shino and Kiba! They'd never let their guard down! Not for a second! And now suddenly they disappeared and _he_," she shrieked until her windpipe was raw, pointing furiously to the thin air, "is claiming that he is unaware? Can you buy that? Captain at the fucking age of seventeen and he is unaware?"

"Enough, Sakura-chan," Kakashi interrupted her angry spiel in that infuriating light-hearted, almost jovial manner of his.

"Get to work!" he added in singsong, before he followed suit.

Sakura turned her head to the side and shook it in disbelief, and before she could even sigh in frustration, she was slammed to the wall, the wind knocked right out of her.

With a steel grip pressed to her throat, practically crushing her windpipe, she gasped harshly, struggling to breathe. Her eyes look about wildly, into those familiar, cruel coal eyes she knew all too well.

Her ninja-instincts kicking in, Sakura kept herself from weeping and tried to remain alert as the pressure on her neck increased.

She clasped her eyes shut, attempting a technique to achieve inner-peace in stressful, do-or-die situations that Tsunade had taught her many moons ago.

_Breathe. Just breathe. Just focus on the air entering… in, in, in._

_That's it, just breathe…_

The harsh, sadistic hiss unpleasantly tickled the side of her ear with an uncomfortable, hostile intimacy. The deep rumble whispered menacingly, "Treason is a serious accusation, Haruno. I wouldn't make it lightly if I were you."

And in a blink of an eye, the pressure was suddenly gone and Sakura collapsed at the foot of the wall.

Her right hand repeatedly skimmed over her throat, as she gasped audibly for air, while attempting to keep the tears at bay.

Her eyes wide, Sakura, visibly shaken, coughed wildly.

She looked around furtively; ready to pounce on any sign of movement.

Sakura clenched her left fist with a menacing, vengeful promise.

No sign of Sasuke remained.

XXX

The air was murky. The thick sheets of the tent shielded them from the outside air, creating a heavy, almost claustrophobic ambiance.

The designated area was devoid of any ostentatious display— it was a rather simple place; rough dirt covered the grounds and a few bare necessities were scattered about the place.

Danzo was a pragmatic man after all— he didn't need lavish decorations, besides this was only a temporary establishment. Not only was he a pragmatic man, he was also a very patient man. Oh, how he was a patient man.

He didn't turn around when he heard the light ruffling of the tent sheets. Instead, he lightly brushed his hand across his bandaged arm.

"Kakashi has convened a meeting with the elders. I will have to go," he stated matter-of-factly after a moment of silence.

He closed his eyes and heard the feet shuffle uncomfortably behind him.

Then came a very hesitant, "S-Sir?"

"Everything, everything is finally in motion. I've been waiting for years for this. Years, _years_. Do you know what it's like? To wait over two goddamn decades? I can taste it. I can almost taste it," Danzo continued, with a complacent smile tugging at his lips.

When he heard the uneasy smack of lips of the rather foolish boy behind him (probably struggling to find an adequate response), he raised his right arm in an authoritative silencing manner.

The boy didn't dare speak.

"That poison, that poison was coursing through her for eight years. Slowly eating away at her insides. Painstakingly slow."

He almost had to chuckle at that. Eight years. Who else would spend eight years poisoning the Hokage? He had to laugh at the genius of it all. Sometimes, he himself marvelled at how _perfectly_ everything fell in place.

"We'll dispatch the village's strongest assets. Yes, Kakashi and that Uchiha brat will go fetch the next in line. We'll lure him back to Konoha. Finally, _finally_. I can taste it. Can you taste it?" he asked lightly, still staring off aimlessly in space with that self-satisfied smile neatly perched on wrinkled lips.

Yet still, the boy remained silent.

Maybe he wasn't as big of a moron as he had esteemed him to be.

"Are his whereabouts known?" Danzo asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Yes, sir. Sai has revealed them to us," the boy promptly answered proudly, as if he had somehow contributed in this finding.

"Excellent, excellent," he muttered, making a mental note of having a congratulatory word with Sai upon his return.

"The Kyuubi vessel finally returns," he declared, with a nearly maniacal smile that would have surely frightened the boy, had it not been for the fact that Danzo's back was to him.

The poor kid, he didn't understand the meaning, the sheer _weight_ of any of this.

The poor, poor kid.

"It finally, finally begins."

XXX

She angrily grabbed the silk ribbon and methodically tied her hair up with much expertise. She flitted through the chart in frustration, nearly ripping the pages in the process. Finally, she slammed the chart shut and threw it on the floor. She rubbed her eyes fiercely.

This is a disaster.

She glanced up from her seated position in the much-to-be-desired wooden chair. There she lay. The fierce, ruthless, iron-fist Hokage in all her glory— with tubes and beeping machines strewn about her.

She couldn't stare at the bed for much longer. The genjutsu had vanished; it couldn't be kept up in this state, and that wrinkled and hardened by life frail little figure on bed was not the face of her kick-ass, dukes of steel mentor. It was an old woman on the verge of crossing over, not the fearless leader of the village.

And the damage that had been done- oh God. She couldn't even bear to look at the chart. The internal damage was so extensive, almost as if the poison had been in her for years- slowly eating away at her insides.

She remembered noticing it a few years ago— the Hokage had begun to develop a cough, and sometimes Sakura recalled hints of crimson on napkins.

If this was an attack that had been building up for years… then Sakura bit her lower lip, this was definitely the start of something big, something terrible.

Maybe even— her mind automatically flashed to Captain Uchiha— an inside job.

She unconsciously stroked her reddened neck.

But the Hokage had always brushed her concerns away and carried herself as per normal, with her disinterested and nonchalant façade.

Said it was nothing.

Deep down, Sakura had known.

She had known that the presence of blood couldn't have been a good sign. She was a trained medic nin for God's sake! Trained under the very best! And yet still, she had let herself be swept away by Tsunade's words. She should have intervened, imposed herself, but instead she got swayed by Tsunade's grumpy everything-is-all-right charm.

And now look— she looked up at the sack of bones and wrinkled flesh— where she ended up.

"Argh!" she grunted out in anger.

That rotten Uchiha.

She didn't trust him. She didn't trust him one bit. She didn't know how, she didn't know why just quite yet, but she knew, she _knew_ that he had to be involved in this somehow.

She used to be so ridiculously infatuated with his good looks; she completely glossed over the shit personality beneath the angelic halo.

There was just something so suspicious about him, about the way he carried himself, about his actions.

Why would a man who so obviously hated children and hated people in general and seemingly had no alliance to the country become Captain of ANBU and undertake subordinates?

His motives, she never understood them.

But she _did_ know that he ruined her best friend's life.

Naruto.

The machines sorrowfully beeped in rhythm in a symphony of condolences.

Tsunade had become the boy's surrogate mom. She had picked him, out of the field of many, raised and honed him to be the next in line.

Naruto, he didn't know.

She sighed deeply.

(God, if she could, she'd give her life to protect that clueless, clueless man.)

He has to know.

XXX

He looked at the leaking pipe, defeated.

Completely and utterly defeated.

He pushed himself out from under the sink, running his fingers through his slightly damp, blonde hair.

Eating five tons of ramen? That, he could do.

Warding off enemy nin in a perilous S-class mission? No sweat.

Fixing a measly leaking pipe…? Fail.

Domestic life, he was _clearly_ not made for.

He growled, tossing the wrench on the side, with an audible bang.

It was a nice home.

A small home, but a nice one.

What was the word…? Cozy…?

It was a cozy place.

He sighed adding "leaky pipe" to the list of things to fix in this dilapidated, rundown, _cozy_ dump.

Don't get him wrong— he never had ambitions of living the good life in some ostentatious, I-eat-money-as-entrees estates. But if you asked him a decade ago where he would end up ten years late, making lists for handymen wouldn't have even crossed his mind. Not even in the realm of possibility.

Funny how things change so… unexpectedly.

He placed the magnet on the list, sticking it to the fridge, making sure it was visible, when he noticed a single dirty sock littering the floor.

"Honestly…" he grunted disbelievingly, as he bent down and picked up the lone, browned by lord-knows-what sock with his index and thumb.

" '_Tie your socks together and put them in the hamper_'. You think that'd be a simple enough procedure to follow," he muttered miserably, making his way to the hamper in the corridor.

He could hear the acute giggling from the playrooms and the unfortunate high-pitched shrieks of "Stop it!" and "I'm gonna tell!" in the background.

He shook his head, deciding not to get involved.

Besides, as he stepped over the patch of spilled juice and looked at the dirty floor with much dismay, he had other things to worry about.

He went to the cupboard and equipped himself with a mop, just as strong arms securely wrapped around him.

Instinctively, he bent towards the warmth and closed his eyes, loosely holding the mop.

He clasped his eyes shut and sighed deeply, inhaling the familiar warmth.

Some days… some days were not good days.

Some days, he forgot he wasn't in this alone.

It's not that today was a particular tragedy, but some days were just… hard. It wasn't always easy to get through the days— not that he was complaining for a second.

He was happy. Content. Or at least, he thinks that this, this life, this reality, _this _is the picture that pops in people's minds when they imagine 'happiness'.

But sometimes, he just had to wonder how his life changed so drastically. How did _this_ become part of his "normal"? And those days he wondered about all the people he had dragged in with him in his mess.

He had to wonder if this is how they had pictured their lives to be. Hw had to wonder how much they had sacrificed for his mistakes.

Some days, _this_ just didn't feel… _right_.

And those days, he couldn't keep the gnawing pang of guilt wreaking him from the inside out.

"What's going through your pretty little mind?" the voice asked softly, muffled by

Naruto's very blonde hair.

Naruto licked his pink lips as he felt Sai's nose nuzzle the back of his head.

The familiar warmth smoothed over him as he weakly bit out, "Would you ever trade it?"

He felt the arms tighten about him, silently pressing for an explanation. Naruto swallowed the lump down his throat, "Trade it? This life? For the adrenaline. The matters of life-and-death. The sparring. The weapons. The missions. Do you ever miss it?"

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, as Sai didn't answer immediately. He had been right all along, but the sinking feeling in his gut offered no sense of reward.

"This life has plenty of adrenaline rush for me. Like say, figuring out who broke the latest set of plates," Sai joked, pressing himself further onto Naruto in a light-hearted manner in an attempt to diffuse the tension that had settled with his silence.

But Naruto noted how he didn't answer the question.

The Godzilla-eating butterflies in the pit of his stomach roared annoyingly as he tried to keep his tone neutral.

He was not a girl. He was not going to be the girl. He was not some overly emotional stereotypical female.

But there was just some things the needed to know. Some things that had to be out in the open.

Then, softly came the, "Do you regret it?"

Naruto turned around in the embrace so he could face Sai eye-to-eye with his imploring, blue, blue eyes.

Blue, blue eyes that Sai couldn't look into.

"_D'awww!_ Is someone feeling a teensy bit insecure?" Sai asked, looking away, with a big, almost forced grin etched on, and really, that was all that Naruto needed to know.

He swiftly broke out of the embrace and firmly clutched the mop, jittering about.

God, he was stupid.

_So stupid, stupid, stupid_.

He cleared his throat, effectively evanescing all trace of softness and insecurity that had been there but a second earlier.

"I don't know what you're talking about. There's a list of shit to repair on the fridge. Go be useful to life," he said thickly, the walls quickly mounting up again.

But Sai seemed oblivious to the quick change in moods and kept smiling in that habitual goofy, borderline creepy way of his.

"Yes ma'am… sir, _sir_," he said with a mock salute.

And Naruto frustrated— frustrated at his life that felt so _wrong_, frustrated from the infectious guilt that piled on daily, frustrated from feeling like he's keeping his best friends from happiness, frustrated from feeling so emotional and insecure and… _womanly_ all the time; this wasn't who he used to be, this wasn't what he thought he'd be— he clicked his tongue and turned his heel.

But before he had the chance to stomp away, a firm grip on his wrist yanked him back. Naruto's back collided with a _thud_ onto Sai's front. The arms securely locked around him, and all those pesky little voices in the back of his head disappeared— just like that. And Naruto bit his lower lip and pressed his head further down, because he was _not_ a woman and he absolutely did _not_ blush and the fluttering warmth in the pit of his stomach and this uplifting pang of, "_this is home_" coursing through him was just a side effect of the heavy breakfast he had.

The lips that brushed on the side of his ear tickled, and Naruto was pretty sure that if Sai wasn't holding him, he's surely liquefy all over the floor.

The butterflies fluttered in his stomach, gently, gently.

Naruto shut his eyes again. There was no one else in this universe.

"For the record? No, I wouldn't trade it in for the world, because I don't regret a second of it," Sai whispered softly into his ear, in a show of intimacy that spoke volumes about his feelings.

He vaguely wondered if Naruto was aware.

And Naruto was so glad that he couldn't see Sai's dark, dark eyes at the moment, because he wasn't sure just what he'd do when scorched with such sincere, burning intensity.

_I think I might give my life away to him._

An inexplicable, fleeting thought in the back of his brain that caught him off guard.

The sharp shrill of the doorbell rang, and the moment was gone.

XXX

From the outside, it was a rather unimpressive, stunted little hut in the midst of a cluster of unimpressive, stunted little huts— he noted with much disinterest.

"_The Uzumaki kid hasn't even set foot in Konoha in nearly a decade! What says that he's fit to lead the nation?" _The derisive sneer had been enough to drive the Uchiha on the brink of violence.

"_With all do respect, _sir_, he was sent away under direct orders from the Hokage,"_ Sasuke had said, through gritted teeth. He wasn't even sure _why_ he was defending the damned absent brat, but he was, and for a split second he saw a look of complete satisfaction on Danzo's dried feature— a look that did not bode well with the Uchiha.

"_Uchiha, Kakashi, go fetch the boy. And do so in a timely fashion. The clock is ticking."_

Sasuke glanced to his side at his former teacher-come-partner, Kakashi, who looked as nonchalant and emotionless as ever.

"_Sasuke, calm yourself. Don't go blowing off your head now,"_ Kakashi had said back in Konoha— ever so fucking velvety smooth at breaking people in.

"_Just. Spill,"_ Sasuke had said, through clenched teeth.

And then, casually, as if talking about the weather or the amount of sugar cubes to put in tea, _"I know where Naruto is hiding."_

He had paused, thoughtfully— almost as if internally debating whether to divulge the next slab of information.

"_I have know since the very beginning,"_ he had spoken it breezily, much to Sasuke's budding irritation.

And so, they found themselves in the middle of nothing and nowhere and sand— Sasuke's eyebrows twitched; sand, everywhere. So much sand. They stood before all that wondrous nothingness which is Suna, in front of a very plain looking hut in the midst of other very plain looking huts, where resided the country's future.

"_There is something you must know," _he had added, much to Sasuke's dismay— because naturally, just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, you know they always did.

But there are just certain things that no amount of time can make alright.

And that infuriatingly calm, neutral low octave of Kakashi was permanently jammed in his mind, repeating the sentence like a broken record.

Despite the travel to Suna, he still could not digest, hard as he may try, the bitch blow that Kakashi had delivered to him.

There were just some things, there were just some things…

Kakashi nudged Sasuke and eyed him meaningfully.

It said, "_Compose yourself."_

It said, "_We're on a mission."_

It said, "_Man up, boy."_

And so, very painstakingly slowly and very much reluctantly, Sasuke trailed behind Kakashi and headed to the little, tiny, plain-looking and unimpressive hut, sounding the doorbell. With knots in his stomach, he heard the excited pitter-patter followed by a deafening crash on the other side.

He glared at Kakashi, who seemed utterly unfazed.

This can't be true.

This just _couldn't_ be true.

The door was yanked open and Sasuke— he wasn't quite sure why— held his breath.

Sasuke stared quizzically at the open door. There was nobody in sight.

"What do _you_ want?" came brusquely from a little, rude voice down, down below.

Sasuke looked down, only to be met with his worse nightmare.

There stood a little black-haired boy, frowning— _couldn't be more than five_, Sasuke mused. He had his arms crossed clearly trying to muster as much attitude as possible with his furrowed brows and jutted lower lip. But the effect was unfortunately lost due to his pygmy height and the sheer effort into making such a look.

After a couple of seconds of gawking, Sasuke noticed a much younger little girl, shying away behind him.

Despite all of Kakashi's warnings beforehand, Sasuke couldn't help but feel like he had just awoken from a forever-long genjutsu of sexing that nightmarish Haruno shemale, over and over and over and_— _oh dear lord— _over_ again.

"Oh fuck," Sasuke muttered miserably.

XXX

Reminder: for those who forget to read the important bolded letters at the beginning of the chappies, there is a time skip. This is set 8 years after the previous chappie. (:

I write when I feel inspired.

**And lately I'm been so busy with graduating/ getting into med school/ sleeping/ watching lovely gayboy moobies/ being uninspired to write.**

**And for that, I apologize.**

**But for all those of you who continue review and voting and sending the most wonderful messages ever, thank you.**

**Thank you for still having faith in this story, even in times when I didn't.**

**You guys are the best fans ever.**

**True story, bro. XD**

**(YES, I LIKE TO SAY BRO.**

**WHAT OF IT?)**


	8. Changes

**Disclaimer: **Naruto is as mine as post-its. Which are like 247% mine. Okay, post-its aren't my creation… BUT I DO ENJOY THOSE REALLY COOL DIGITAL POST-ITS! They're so fun! You download the app, and put different coloured post-its all over your desktop reminding you to do stuff! Beans! (:

**Unbeta~ed out of pure laziness ):**

_On a stormy sea of moving emotion__  
__Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean__  
__I set a course for winds of fortune__  
__But I hear the voices say,_

"_Carry on my wayward son__  
__There'll be peace when you are done__  
__Lay your weary head to rest__  
__Don't you cry no more"_  
"_**Carry On My Wayward Son**_**" by Kansas**

**Disenchanted  
****By  
****JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER EIGHT:  
****Changes**

**

* * *

**

XXX

If he had to be perfectly honest with himself, Sasuke had to admit he had pictured this moment quite a bit in the past few years.

How could he not?

After all, all three of his subordinates suddenly disappeared into thin air one morning. One of them showed up a year later a transformed person (_transformed gender_, Sasuke thought to himself, trying to hide the sneer of disgust that appeared every time that Haruno guy... girl... thing came to mind). And no one _ever_ spoke about the other two. Whenever villagers or fellow rookie nine classmates would get irksome and raise a ruckus concerning the whereabouts of their beloved colleague (because face it, people just didn't care all that much about the pale creeper), the Hokage along with Kakashi, always had this quaint way of allaying the situation and putting the issue on a back burner.

"They're on an important, classified mission. My orders," Tsunade would ambiguously answer, with that awful, wrathful look of hers that allowed no room for questions.

Sasuke had always found it strange— the _sheer_ effort that was put into hiding those two... it was practically unnatural. Suspicious.

So, it was only natural that Sasuke's mind would wander... Especially after the first couple of months. With such frustratingly little information provided to him, there had been a plethora of different scenarios coursing through his head— one crazier than the next. Somedays... somedays, it felt like he'd never see their faces again. Sai. Naruto. Their mutilated carcasses, lying in all their wrecked glory, in a ditch somewhere, in the middle of nothingness. Some images were more gruesome than others. The aching pang that constricted the middle of his chest had caught him off guard at first. He hadn't expected to... _feel_ any sense of loss at the thought of never seeing his students again.

Sasuke was horrified that he could possibly care beyond his strictest, most professional sense of duty for his students, or that he could have somehow unexpectedly formed any sort of attachment to said students.

How frivolous. How disgustingly weak.

Sasuke clicked his tongue in disgust.

No, he did not care.  
Curious.  
That's it  
He was just... _curious_.

And contrary to popular belief, he wasn't some heartless, sociopathic monster who revelled in people's untimely deaths. So it wasn't all that surprising that he wasn't over-the-moon with joy over his students' disappearance.

However, through all the tortuous hours of reeling imagination, never in his wildest dreams did he ever think that _this_ would be how he finally reunited with his long lost students.

_This_.

The moment that fated door swung open.  
The moment his gaze set down on the pair of little monstrous brats.  
The boy had crossed his arms petulantly; his dark, angry eyes peeking through a messy mop of jet black hair.  
The little girl shying behind him, looked up uncertainly, with a tinge of pink colouring her cheeks.  
Big, dark eyes staring up in a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment, before quickly looking away.  
She pressed herself closer to her brother, who in turn, swatted away in annoyance at the pigtail tickling his face.

"_There is something you must know_," Kakashi had said in that frustratingly cheerful voice. But even when Kakashi had told him, Sasuke was still desperately clinging onto every last straw of hope. Maybe the masked man had been joking? Yes, this was all a joke. A stupid, unfunny, unnerving, 'let's-take-off-years-off-of-Sasuke's-already-shortened-lifespan' kind of joke.

But as those dark pairs of eyes blinked up at him, the truth was undeniable.

"Oh fuck," Sasuke had muttered miserably when reality had dawned on him with the fury with which a five hundred pound hulking gorilla humped one's leg.

"I rather you don't swear in front of my children, Uchiha-sensei,"said a clear voice, tinged with a subtle creepiness that could only belong to one man.

Sai smiled faintly, in that unnatural way of his. It was almost as though it didn't belong on his face, like someone had cropped it out of a picture in some magazine and pasted it onto Sai's face. A smile that Sasuke could honestly say he did not miss whatsoever.

His one hand lightly ruffled the pouting boy's hair, while his other rested on the younger girl's shoulder.

"Come," he motioned, pulling his children inside.

Sasuke vaguely wondered why it was that the creep didn't seem the least bit fazed by their presence. Kakashi claimed that he had known their whereabouts since the very beginning, but surely he had to be a little bit surprised to find Sasuke at his doorstep?

Sasuke didn't have much time to mull over it, as Kakashi shoved him inside.

And so _this_, turned into sitting in the middle of a small, cramped living room, not even furnished with couches or cushions, with just a bland coffee table set in the middle.

The yellowed wallpaper was adorned with tarnished lilies splattered about.  
In one corner of the room, there were some awkwardly coloured lilies— the colours exceeded the borders, presumably from children not knowing what is and isn't appropriate to defile with crayons.

Sasuke sat uncomfortably on his knees, with a cup of tea cooling before him, as he looked around the humble (and this took humility to a whole new level, Sasuke snorted) abode with curiosity mixed with disdain. Mostly disdain.

Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Well, it's a nice place you've got here," he declared happily, his eye wandering before closing in his, what Sasuke found, highly irritable cheery squint.

Naruto just nodded, noticeably at a loss for words.

What, the idiot thought nobody would ever find him in this dirty little sand castle? Sasuke glared at the boy... man before him.

Yes, man.

A lot changed in eight years.

Naruto leaned against the door frame of the insignificant, barren living room, his arms crossed over his chest— as a subconscious defence mechanism or by force of habit, Sasuke did not know. His hair had grown in messy, jagged spikes to his shoulders. His cheekbones protruded more— gone was the teenage baby fat he still had at sixteen.

The boy had obviously undergone a growth spurt in his last years of teenagehood. It was hard to tell if the boy had finally managed to surpass Sasuke's own whopping height. Under the baggy black and orange flowing Suna robes, it was hard to tell if his body had also altered significantly. Orange, Sasuke snorted. Obviously they were custom made, courtesy of Kazekage dearest... The dip in the V-neck revealed bronzed, chiseled skin, tanned to a crisp, probably from hours spent training in the desert sun. Sasuke absently wondered if that tan evenly spread beyond the exposed skin, then proceeded to frown. What the hell kind of dumbass question was that? Sasuke fixed his abdominal region with a bit more curiosity than perhaps appropriate. He blinked rapidly. That's from where... that's the... children... where...

Naruto wore a guarded expression. Not a hardened or hostile expression by any means. Just careful. Blank. Almost as though Naruto wasn't sure himself how to react, so he chose not to react at all. For the first time in a long time, Sasuke wasn't sure what the man before him was thinking.

"Chichiue!" exclaimed an almost shrill, effeminate voice.

Naruto lazily turned his head to the little boy, who was standing belligerently by the entryway. His arms were crossed in a similar fashion to his father's, but instead of adorning a blank and guarded expression, the child's sour disposition clearly indicated his displeasure.

Che. Brats. Such Monsters.

Sasuke sneered, noting to himself that when he revived his clan, he'd be sure to instill some fear and respect into his offspring. They certainly won't grow up to be rude little spoiled monsters like the kid before him.

"Who are _they_? Why are the here?" the little boy rudely asked, angrily jabbing his finger in the direction of newcomers.

It was instantaneous. So instantaneous that Sasuke was taken aback. Despite all the physical changes and despite mentally knowing that eight years bring about a lot of changes, the instantaneity of it _violently_ reminded Sasuke that in fact, a lot had changed.  
Because only a parent's expression changes from guarded and careful to complete unhindered, humming softness when your child calls for you in this special, instantaneous way. Sasuke knew, because in that moment, he was reminded of the way his mother's face would instantly change, soften, almost... beautify when he would excitedly run to her. Change in a way only a mother can. In a way only a parent can.

Naruto had crouched to the boy's level, his hand gently caressing the messy, inky strands of hair.

"Shun, go play outside," he spoke sternly, with this indescribable softness fluttering across his features. Then, spotting the shy little girl crouching in the entryway, behind the coat rack, Naruto grinned towards her. "And take Chi with you."

"But— !"

"Shun, listen to your chichiue,"Sai came in, with a platter of pastries to accompany the tea, circumventing the child and parent. "Chi, there's no need to hide."

He threw them both a look that left no room for argument. The boy sighed unhappily, clearly defeated by his set of unreasonable fathers.

"Don't wander off far from the house," Naruto added, in a tone that promised much unpleasantness if disobeyed.

The child huffed,outstretching his arm impatiently towards his sister, who carefully snuck out from behind the coat rack to join her brother. The child threw a dirty glare towards the uninvited guests— his look particularly vicious towards Sasuke. It must have hurt, to narrow his eyes so intensely, behind a veil of black bangs; Sasuke almost guffawed condescendingly.

_Pathetic_.

Sasuke smirked cruelly.

The boy growled, grabbing his little sister's compliant hand and stalking towards the door, slamming it shut.

_Good riddance_, Sasuke thought, as his complacent smirk intensified.

"Do you have something against my children, Uchiha?" Naruto finally spoke, venom dripping from his voice. Sasuke noted that the boy... man, man had gotten up again, his too-blue eyes glaring at him, much like his son. He also vaguely noticed how Naruto's voice had deepened. Somewhere along the way, it had lost its innocence and gained more edge.

The look of utter and complete revulsion twisting his porcelain features was enough of an answer for Naruto.

He looked away.

He didn't need this.  
He did _not _need this.  
Not after eight years. Not after everything.

He did not need Uchiha-fucking-I'm-so-cool-and-beautiful-Sasuke waltzing before him, throwing his holier-than-thou self-righteous judgement in his face.

"_Why_ are you here?" Naruto muttered, sounding angry, sounding tense, like a dam about to break from the constant water thrashing.

Naruto had years, _years_ of locking himself in his room, sheltering himself from accusing, judgemental eyes. He had years of pretending, of being ashamed, of being confused, of struggling to accept that this was now his reality. Sasuke had no right, _no right_, to come into his life so suddenly, and undo the acceptance that had taken years to build, with a single, gorgeously haughty snarl.

"Ah, I'm sorry Naruto, I wish we were here on more pleasant business, like say, to enjoy your tea and pastries," Kakashi had said lightly, an edge of seriousness creeping into his voice. This was it. The facade was crumbling. It was time to get serious, though it was hard when Sasuke thought about Naruto _making_ tea and pastries. For the umpteenth time, Sasuke had to shake his head and remind himself— a lot changes in eight years.

Naruto frowned and Sai sat down facing Sasuke and Kakashi.

"It's Tsunade."

Naruto stiffened so suddenly, as though somebody had slipped a cube of ice down his back. His cerulean eyes widened. Kakashi's face was devoid of any cheerfulness and the bastard stopped sneering, and the way he has said "_It's Tsunade_", it could only mean one thing. Something had happened. Something horrible.

The sinking feeling he had gotten upon seeing the bastard and Kakashi-sensei enter his home came back with a vengeance. His hand unconsciously rubbed his stomach; a habit he had picked up when he had first gotten pregnant. He bit the insides of his cheek.

"We are here to retrieve the next in line," Sasuke said plainly, without any embellished tones of remorse or sympathy. The roughness of the voice drove Naruto's innards cold.

He shook his head.

No, no.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, **NO.**  
But the hooded look in those dark, dark eyes whispered, "Yes."

He slammed his hand over his mouth.

He can't scream. He can't. He won't.

His children, his precious, precious babies were outside.

He kept shaking his head.

No.

No.

Not Tsunade-baachan.

No.

Not the woman who had raised him like a mother.

Like a drunk, gambling, loser of a mother. But a mother nonetheless.

No.

"Naruto..." Kakashi's voice trailed off gently, at a lost for words. What do you say to make loss okay? Losing, losing people, it was one of those things that words couldn't mend. Words couldn't glue you back together here.

Naruto's knees, weakened from the blow, gave in. He slowly slid onto the floor, looking down, his messy turf of flaxen, covering his eyes. But the whitened knuckles from clenching so hard gave away the turmoil of emotions that must have been swirling in those blue, blue expressive eyes.

Sasuke disinterestedly noted how disgustingly _effortlessly_ people fell apart.

The creep went over to the blonde, and wrapped his arms around him. He whispered words Sasuke couldn't decipher, but he could guess. Probably sickly sweet cliched phrases people who know nothing about losses tell others to alleviate their conscience. But it seems like the retard bought it, because he laid his head on Sai's shoulder and loosely unclenched his fists, wrapping them around the man. Sasuke had to look away, unable to witness such display of... weakness? Affection? Whatever you call it, Sasuke for some reason couldn't bear it. He glared outside. The shy girl giggled as her brother pushed sand on her dark hair. Eight years.

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Cease the dramatics," he growled, before turning his sharp glare to the huddled duo on the floor. "Pack your things. We're going," he boomed, without an iota of empathy. He could feel Kakashi's eye on him.

Naruto lifted his head from Sai's shoulder. His piercing blue eyes hardened with time glared right back with all their fury. Sasuke knew what to expect. The man got riled up. He's going to get off the floor, cease this display of apathy. He's going to explode, make an embarrassing scene in all his annoying, boisterous, eardrum-rupturing glory. Just like he always did.

"Get the fuck out of my house," he hissed, in a surprisingly low voice that made Sasuke blink, before he got up and calmly left the room.

"You heard him," Sai said without a hint of his usual misplaced amusement, before clambering up and following suit, like a puppy desperate for its owner's attention.

Sasuke stared in empty space, scowling.

This was not how the retrieval mission was supposed to go down.

He jerked forward, as he was slapped on the backside of his head. He moaned, turning about quickly with daggers in his eyes, as he saw Kakashi happily dipping the scones in the cooled tea.

"Talk to Naruto-chan, ne? Tell him the pastries are delicious," he said airily,with an eerie twinkle in his eye. Sasuke knew that conniving, death-promising twinkle all too well. It's the same twinkle Kakashi had in his eye after the Suna incident with the scroll eight some years ago. He growled as he slammed his fist on the table and looked away.

XXX

Sakura had changed a lot these past eight years.

Eight years is a long time. A lot happens in eight years.

Like say, your best friend gets pregnant by your long-time crush.

Common situation, I'm sure. I mean how many teen dramas centre on the ultimate best friend betrayal, where your bestie ends up sleeping with the boy you've crushed on for years? A lot, yes? But how often does it happen to be your very _male_ best friend who ends up pregnant?

Yeah, a lot happens in eight years.

Like say, the two boys you've grown to love like brothers go out into hiding.

Sakura was no fool. You could call her a lot of things, but fool wasn't one of them. She was always the top of her class. She was brilliant— teachers always praised her, told her she was destined to do great things in the ninja world. So Sakura knew, even as a little girl, that as a kunoichi, she wasn't expected to live much older than thirty. She also knew that friends dropped like flies and that bonds weren't meant to last. Not in the outside world, and especially not in the ninja world. These were all things that Sakura knew. But where Sakura got foolish was that she did not anticipate, despite _knowing_ all these things, how it fucking _scalded_ to experience them.

Ripped. She felt like someone had torn her in half when she had to leave her agonized best friend's side that spring, seven years ago, to come back to Konoha, the village that unknowingly had caused him so much unwanted grief.

Tsunade had prohibited her from going back. She made her cut all contact, unless if Naruto or Sai really needed it. They were well settled in Suna. The Kazekage would take care of them— she needn't worry. But she did. Every second of every day.

She constantly thought about what they were doing. Was life treating them good? Were they adjusting? Did it feel different, all the way over there? Sometimes, in the midst of a long, tiring day, she'd gaze up at the burning sun, and remind herself that not too far away the same sun was shining down on the boy that shares her heart.

Yes, she _loved_ her best friend with every inch of her. Flesh, skin and bones, and everything in between. She loved Naruto in a way she didn't and couldn't love anyone else. It wasn't a searing, romantic kind of love, not really. Romantic love was too bounded, too limited. And it wasn't the innate, unconditional love one has for one's parents or siblings. No, this love was different. This love made her heart clench constantly, with this dull ache, as opposed to the sharp agony that came with heartbreak.

And how do you cope with losing your best friends to unforeseeable circumstances?

Pure, unadulterated anger, that's how.

Sometimes, when Sakura stopped acting foolish, stopped pretending to be unaware, she knew she was being childish. She knew she was going overboard. But despite her sporadic bouts of awareness, Sakura just couldn't bring herself to stop.

She saw the way the dark-haired bastard clenched his jaw every time she snapped at him. She saw the murderous glares Sasuke launched her way, every time she threw a backhanded insult at him. She knew that it took every ounce of self-control for him to not lunge at her and strangle her blue.

But she couldn't stop. There was just _too_ much anger boiling underneath her skin. So much rage, she had to physically restrain herself from quaking.

It's kind of funny. She used to love the man after all.

Somewhere between finding out about Naruto's pregnancy and realizing that, of all the people he confided in, he didn't come to _her_ for help, it occurred to her that her long-held flame for the raven-haired sensei had been nothing but artificial. A schoolgirl's crush, really. He had been this beautiful, mysterious man that she had filled up with all her hopes and dreams, but ultimately her love for him was empty. The heart-sinking pain she felt knowing that her best friend, her _brother _didn't trust her with his secret on the other hand? That, that was real.

And when Naruto had to uproot his entire existence, bury all his dreams and exile himself in Suna, living like a ghost, Sakura had found someone to blame.

It was ridiculously easy to vilify the bastard. He was rude, borderline cruel. He didn't care for anything or anyone— or so he acted. He was unpleasant; even a spoon had more personality. And he got Naruto pregnant, treated him like a vile piece of garbage, _ruined_ his life, and went about his own as though nothing had happened.

The not-pretending, logical part of her brain occasionally reasoned that, how could the man possibly act responsible, when he wasn't even aware of what he had done? When everyone collectively conspired to keep the truth from him? But that part was swiftly shut up by the much easier to deal with boiling heap of rage.

Sakura sighed. Kakashi and Uchiha-sensei were sent on a retrieval mission.

Eight years of hiding, lying and secrecy had boiled down to this.

She shook her head. Sasuke was going to find out. Naruto and Sai were going to come back. And while she'd be lying if she said her stomach wasn't fluttering in excitement every now and then at the thought of seeing her boys again, a part of her was dreading it. What had been the point? What had been the point of all the effort that had went into planning, hiding, executing? Eight long years. All for what?

She exhaled and shut her eyes.

No. Calm down.

Kakashi was there. He'd take care of things.

Yes, he would.

This was an emergency. Tsunade.

Oh God, Tsunade.

No amount of planning could have predicted this outcome of events.

_The best laid plans of mice and men_...

Sakura clutched the papers to her chest.  
So it was confirmed.

She slumped on the chair placed next to Tsunade's bedside and stared emptily at her blank figure. Tsunade was a powerful woman. And unlike many figures of authority that Sakura had known in her lifetime, she was powerfully expressive. Every speck of happiness, or distress or anger, every little emotion showed on her face like a neon-lit sign. Maybe that's why she was so horrendous at poker. But now, her face was unnaturally blank, devoid of any emotion. Some people might say she looked at peace. But when Sakura stared, she didn't see peace, she saw unnerving emptiness.

The thing is, this all _reeked _of foul play. Obviously. The woman had been _poisoned _after all. But Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on it. This didn't just feel like a regular enemy village attack. No, this had the bitter sting of an inside job.

She lightly grazed the sensitive areas of her neck, where he had viciously grabbed her, _choked _her. The fists holding the lab results clenched. That man-beast-arrogant-asshole-Uchiha would pay. Dearly.

An innocent man couldn't have had such a violent reaction to her accusations... could he?

She shook her head.

She hated this. She hated this grey zone of kind of, almost, maybe knowing something, while at the same time knowing nothing at all.

She had rummaged through the Hokage's chamber, snooped through every drawer, scattering its contents about, madly searching for any clue that could possibly help. Tsunade had been poisoned. There had to be a source for this poison. It could be anything, really. And that's what was so frustrating. She had spent the past few days mentally going over every little detail of that fateful morning's event that Shizune had provided her with. She had sent samples after samples of countless items, including food, perfume, toothpaste and liquids to the lab, with a promise of a rough beating if the results didn't come promptly. The poor technicians, terrified out of their wits, ran every test imaginable.

And so it was, apparently, that there were very minute traces of poison in Tsunade's sake vile. So little that it couldn't have possibly done any serious damage to Hokage-sama. Sakura threw the papers in a fit of frustration and began roughly rubbing her temples. Yes, it couldn't have possibly done any serious damage... unless if Tsunade was continuously ingesting this poison in minute quantities over a long, long, _long_ period of time. And you see, if that was the case, then this would mean that this incident wasn't just a freak attack by some rowdy, jealous village. No, this was a premeditated attack, that had probably taken _years_ of planning. This also meant that someone was maybe, possibly poisoning Tsunade's sake reserves on a regular basis. And this is when Sakura's head really began throbbing. Because regular basis meant that someone who blended in perfectly in the village must have carried out this task. Namely, a villager. Or villagers. And then, Shino and Kiba, who were under Sasuke's direct orders, disappeared. _Fuck_.

An inside job. It reeked of it.

Those crazy, almost psychotic with rage, onyx eyes popped into her head.

Uchiha Sasuke.

It _fit _so perfectly.

However, the two most talented ninjas, the two men who would chiefly be responsible for conducting a proper investigation, Kakashi and the Uchiha bastard, were sent away on a retrieval mission. Why would you send _both_ of your most gifted ninjas away when your village leader has been mysteriously and suddenly attacked? It was almost as if someone on the council had something to hide.

She was trembling. Sakura could admit, she was overwhelmed and terrified by the implications of all her contradicting, confusing findings.

But what Sakura would never admit was that a small part of her, deep inside, feverishly wished that she was completely wrong, that her beloved Uchiha-sensei was not behind this coup.

Yes, Sakura had changed a lot... and then not so much.

XXX

Naruto bit the inside of his cheek as he mustered every ounce of self-control to keep from hurling objects around and shrieking to the top of his lungs.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. , **FUCK.**

He nearly began pulling at his hair, but Sai grabbed his hands and held them to his chest. Normally, he would have struggled, pushed him away. He wasn't a child! He didn't need to be held down! But he couldn't focus on pushing Sai away because all he could think about was Sasuke.

Uchiha fucking Sasuke. In his fucking home. In his fucking living room. Having his fucking tea and fucking pastries.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FUCKFUCKFUCKFUUUUUUUCK, **FUCK.**

That fucking bastard.

What gave him the right to _rip_ his life to shreds and then come whirling back in his life like a hurricane the very second he began clinging to some semblance of normalcy?

And then there was Tsunade-baachan.

He shut his eyes. He will not cry. No, he will not cry.

Maybe things weren't as bad as he was imagining them? After all, Kakashi never said _what _happened to Tsunade; Sasuke had just said that the next in line was needed.

Naruto took a deep breath.

_Calm, be calm.  
Your children are outside._

_Compose yourself._

He exhaled slowly.

"Leave us be," came the rough grunt that startled Naruto.  
He had appeared soundlessly.

He was good at that, Naruto noted numbly. Appearing suddenly, without a warning. His appearance, so misleadingly subtle. Misleading, because when Sasuke left, you knew he had been there. He always left a wreckage behind.

Naruto glared with animosity, only to be surprised that Sasuke wasn't glaring back. He just looked almost... remorseful? But that couldn't be right. That behemoth was incapable of feeling remorse.

"I told you to get the fuck out of my house," Naruto spoke calmly, as he felt Sai's hold tighten around his arms in warning.

Sasuke raised an elegant brow in that frustratingly poised manner of his.

"Still running from your problems? You're not sixteen anymore, Uzumaki."

Sasuke crossed his arms on his chest, motioning with his head for Sai to leave.

The kitchen was terribly narrow and clustered. There was barely any room for two people, let alone two. The fridge ate up all the space, and the counter was so pitiful, it was a struggle to even cook a meal for four with it. The cheap, vinyl tiles were greyed and scissored with cracks. The place was a dump, and Naruto had to look away. He didn't want to be faced with that enraging, haughty sneer he knew so well.

Sai seemed to squeeze his arm, as if questioning if it was okay to leave the two of them alone.

_No_, Naruto thought wildly, _it's not okay. Don't leave me!_

His azure eyes pleaded, as he desperately looked into Sai's dark eyes.

But Sai slowly let go of his arms.

"_It'll be okay,_" his soft, gentle gaze said.

"_It's time to face this,_" the sudden, small pressure on his shoulder said.

"_Don't worry. I'm still here,_" Sai's longing glance said, as he padded away.

His shoulder deliberately collided with a hostile _thud! _against Sasuke as he exited the kitchen.

Sasuke sneered, ready to knock the insolent boy's teeth out, until Kakashi's, "_play nice, Saucy-chan!_" rang clearly to the kicthen. What, was he a God-damned psychic? He gritted his teeth as he entered the kitchen. He didn't need to be told to play nice. He could control himself!

A moment of silence passed, as he awkwardly stood in the too-small kitchen, his body nearly touching Naruto's, who refused to look up.

"Haruno's with her," he bit out finally, grimacing. Having to resort to using the shemale's name to console overly dramatic ex-students? _Ugh._

"How bad is it?" Naruto asked softly, all previous hostility suddenly dissipated. His blue eyes looked up hopefully, like a lost, wandering little boy who just found his mother in the store.

Sasuke sighed.

"Not good. She has been poisoned. She's in a coma. She might not recover," he spoke bluntly, without emotion, as if reciting a tamago kake gohan recipe.

Naruto swallowed and looked down. He tightened his arms around his chest. _Like a little boy. A little, lost boy._ Sasuke wasn't sure if he would breakdown again. He really didn't want to deal with weeping grown men. But when he looked up again, those crystalline blue eyes shone fiercely with determination— a look that for some strange, inexplicable reason no amount of time seemed to have erased from Sasuke's memory. Sasuke had to swallow to distract himself from the quaint warmth creeping in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm not going back."

"It's your responsibility," Sasuke replied plainly, yet again raising his eye brow.

"Says who?" Naruto muttered, looking to the side.

Sasuke couldn't believe his ears. He took back what he had previously thought. He hadn't matured one bit. For all the physical changes eight years had brought upon, this person before him was no more closer to being a man than back when he was his subordinate.

"What are you five, you retard?" Sasuke hissed, impatience getting the better of him. "You're next in line!" he growled, struggling not to yell.

"So?" Naruto sniffed, like an insolent child.

"So, you total utter moron," Sasuke began, clenching his jaw, "Being next in line means you have to go back to the village when our current leader is incapacitated and assume your duties."

Who decided that it was a good idea for Sasuke to be the one to try to convince this dense retard to come back to the village anyways? What were they smoking? They should get fired promptly. Sasuke could feel that vein on his forehead throb back to life.

"I'm not next in line," Naruto stubbornly pouted.

"Yes. You. Are," Sasuke spoke in a condescendingly slow fashion, as if talking to a four year-old who can't grasp big words when uttered too fast.

"No, I'm not," the blonde insisted, his blue eyes blazing.

Why couldn't he just leave him alone? Why couldn't he return to his God-forsaken village and continue his stupid captain-of-ANBU duties and just let him be? Was that too much to ask? To be left alone?

"Yes, you are," Sasuke bit out through gritted teeth.

This time, he took a step forward, almost pressing himself flush against Naruto. He fisted the neckline of his robes, yanking him forward in an intimidating manner.

His breath ghosted against Naruto's lips. Naruto's eyes widened, pink flushing his cheeks at the sudden unexpected closeness. He looked away, mentally chastising himself for the heat mounting to his face that shouldn't have been there. He was not a prepubescent boy! What was wrong with him? The fists clenched harder against the soft fabric

"That was... long ago," Naruto suddenly whispered, the proximity to his ex-Sensei making him increasingly uncomfortable. He vaguely wondered where all his rage went? Where did all his fight go?

"You know what? Stay," the raven-haired ninja spat, roughly shoving the blonde against the counter, before letting go. "The village needs a Hokage who is man enough to confront his problems."

Naruto swiftly regained his balance and pushed the bastard back with enough force that the house momentarily shook when Sasuke collided with the wall.

"Don't! Don't talk to me about being man enough," Naruto boomed, his eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

Sasuke knocked Naruto's hands off of him and sized him up with a calculating gaze.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! Nothing," Naruto snarled, running his hand through the messy turf of his hair in an agitated manner— the way he always used to, and Sasuke just stared at him suspiciously. Why get so volatile over a comment about not being man enough...?

"You fucking coward," Sasuke tried, and then he smirked viciously, "Won't sacrifice your pretty little family life for the sake of your village?"

Sasuke would have expected some childish insult, some petty yelling or even a petulant storming-off session. He did not however expect Naruto to grab his collar roughly and violently shove him against the wall. He pushed him so forcefully, a few bowls fell out of the cupboards and clattered messily on the floor.

"You know NOTHING about sacrifice! _Nothing!_" he seethed, his once-blue eyes now scorching violet. Sasuke grabbed at the fists and tried to pry them away, but they wouldn't budge. The sheer heat radiating off of the blonde felt vaguely familiar. He half-expected the boy to grow those monstrous demon-fangs.

"Saucy-chan?" that sadistic Kakashi called out in singsong.

"W... What?" Sasuke growled, as he managed to kick Naruto in the shin, _hard_. The flaxen-haired ninja tumbled to the other side and Sasuke doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

Those oh so familiar _intense _onyx eyes glared right at him, through a veil of black bangs.

"Come. Back. To. K-Konoha," Sasuke gasped through lungfuls of air.

When Naruto gazed up, his eyes were so blue, it was almost as if Sasuke had imagined the whole colour-changing affair. But Sasuke's face remained impassive and Naruto had to choke out a laugh at this impossible, unnerving, blood-boiling asshole-of-a-man's insistence.

And so he slapped a hand to his mouth, as he sat on the floor, manhandled, probably bruised (though Kyuubi would certainly quickly take care of that), heartbroken over his life, over Tsunade-baachan and just laughed humorlessly.

Sasuke just stared, without judgement or condescension. He just stared, and Naruto just laughed, but really he only wanted to curl up in a ball and sob until he had to succumb to unconsciousness.

"I have to be honest, I really thought I'd never see your face again," he confessed once the laughter died down. He looked up, his expressive blue eyes shimmering with such sincerity, Sasuke had to take a moment to stand up straight.

"Did that..." Sasuke began, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "Upset you?"

Sasuke cleared his throat.  
Wow. What a dumb fucking question.

Naruto dropped his gaze, and let out a deep exhale he didn't know he was keeping in.

"I did," Sasuke began quickly, before Naruto could answer, surprising himself. Why was he still speaking? Did he suddenly have Tourette's? "Not... always, but mostly, I knew this day would come."

"Yeah, me too," Naruto replied, so softly, almost like he didn't say anything at all.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Wasn't he contradicting what he had just said not even two minutes ago?

_Yeah, me too._

Because he _had_ known. He had always known.

Even when that fateful night he knocked on Sai's door, bags packed, ready to turn his back to Konoha, to his hometown, to his everything. He had known it was not a forever thing. He had known somehow that leaving Sasuke behind was not a forever thing.

It was weird and inexplicable, and deep down inside Naruto knew that he should feel guilty for the warm swirls twisting in his stomach when Sasuke locked his dark-as-nightfall eyes with his, and they shared a weighty moment of just _knowing_.

"Oy, Saucy-chan! Bring some more tea!" the too-cheerful voice sliced through the heavy silence like knife in butter.

Sasuke looked away, breaking the trance and growled, "Get it yourself, damn bastard!"

Sasuke glanced at him, all trace of hardness gone from his usually gorgeous, angry, angry eyes.

"_I'm glad you're not a cadaver,_" they said, as they stayed a moment too long on Naruto's sunken figure.

Naruto smiled weakly, for the first time since the duo's whirlwind entrance into his home.

"_Thanks_," his broken smile said.

"I don't want a coward who can't face his demons as Hokage," Sasuke said, his piercing stare cutting through all of Naruto's defences. "But come back just to be by Tsunade's side. You owe her that much," he finished, before stalking away.

Naruto gulped the lump down his throat.

He knew he could never live with himself if... if Tsunade... and he never took the chance to properly say goodbye... The guilt would consume him raw, eat him alive. From the moment Tsunade's name had left Kakashi's masked-covered lips, Naruto had known he'd have to go back to that dreaded place. There was no way his conscience would allow otherwise.

And he wished that he could say that the only reason he'd consider returning to that damned village was because Tsunade-baachan was gravely ill. But as he wistfully followed that angry man angrily stomp out of his kitchen, with his angry garments billowing angrily around him, Naruto knew within the pits of his being that Tsunade was far from being the only reason.

Naruto sighed and placed his hand over his eyes.

_Oh God._

Perhaps, even eight years and miles apart didn't change certain things...

Naruto banged his head against the cupboard.

_Fuck me._

XXX

**Dear beautiful duckies,**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS, BROOOOS!**

**I hope you had a lovely 2010, and will have an even lovelier 2011.**

**P.S. You guys are the best bunch ever. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thaaaaaaaaank youuuuuuuu for all your kind words. I should so chop off my limbs in gratitude, yes? And promptly mail my bloody amputated appendages to all of you! **

**A special thanks to thetwistedtruth , my gorgeous soulmate who I had the pleasure of spending the best six days ever with this summer. She also kicked my rear into gear and told me to dream about "Disenchanted" with the word "complete" next to it.**

**& to fanficlunatic234 for your very encouragingly sweet review/PM.**

**& crzyanimemom for being the best cheerleader ever. (I also happen to be a cheerleader. Maybe we can swap techniques? (: )**

**DFTBA! (:**


	9. Big Boys

**Disclaimer: Dear duckies, Naruto is not mine. Please still love me? Unbeta~ed out of pure laziness ):**

_It's time to be so brutally honest about  
The way we know we long for something fine  
When we pine for higher ceilings  
And bourgeois happy feelings.  
__And here we are in the centre of the first world  
__It's all laid out for us, who are we to break down?_

_**Everyday we wake up  
We choose **_**Love**_**  
We choose **_**Light**_**  
And we try,  
**__**It's too easy just to fall apart  
**_"**You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie****" by The Submarines**

**Disenchanted  
****By  
****JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER NINE:  
****Big Boys**

* * *

"Eat your noodles, Shunny."

His Chichiue smiled, pushing the bowl of steaming ramen towards the boy.

The boy sniffed and made a face. He didn't want to eat anything, and he certainly didn't want to eat anything in this stupid place. In fact, the only thing Shun wanted to do was lie on the floor and play dead until this whole nightmare was over.

"Shunny's not going to eat my masterpiece?"

Chichiue jutted his lower lip, pouting in a way that made Shun giggle uncontrollably. He hid his head in his hands. He was mad! Angry! Furious! Now was not the time to be all giggly. He was _really_ mad... but then he sneaked a look from between the slits of his fingers. Chichiue tilted his head and grinned with eyes comically closed in half-moons and his mouth open big, big, and he looked like a funky little monkey, and that was it. Shun couldn't keep from smiling real big.

Chichiue was so silly!

'Masterpiece'

Shun snorted.

You see, Chichiue was a magnificently horrendous cook.  
No, seriously.  
If there was an award handed out to the world's absolute worse cook, Naruto would get it.  
No sweat.

Shun was pretty sure that Chichiue was so tremendously horrible, he could probably burn water.

Ramen was pretty much the only thing that he could make. When Shun was younger, that's all they would ever have. Breakfast, lunch and supper. The flavors changed. Different spices were involved. Sometimes, there was even egg in it. But still, it was ramen. Ramen, ramen and more ramen. Not even particularly good ramen at that.

Otousan complained every now and then, but he never really did anything about it. Shun was pretty sure it was because Otousan wasn't any better when it came to the kitchen.

Shun remembered this one time Chichiue was very insistent on cooking a feast for the Kazekage. He had spent the entire day humming happily, banging pots, cussing loudly every now and then and rushing around the place like a headless chicken.

"Babies, your Chichiue is going to make a feast! _A feast_!" Naruto excitedly exclaimed, which made Chi in turn coo gleefully, as if somehow she had a part to play in the preparation.

The kitchen was a complete mess. Every inch was covered in food, grease and broken utensils; you'd think a hurricane came and passed through.

In the end, there certainly had been a lot of food on the table... none of which was edible though.

"Sure, it looks _peculiar_, but it's delicious!" Naruto had boasted brightly. "Don't judge a book by it's cover, am I right? Am I right? Gaara, don't be shy. Help yourself! Help yourself!" he grinned, filling the bowl to the brim with some _pukishly_ green substance.

Gaara had just nodded and Shun smiled crisply, as Naruto looked expectantly at them. Otousan categorically refused to ingest any of this abodimination... abomidation... abomi-whatever. Nobody made a move to approach the food on their plates. Naruto didn't say anything, his smile dropping. He just abruptly stopped speaking and looked away in a way that made Shun's tummy swirl queasily. Chichiue was always very loud and he complained a lot and was all-round goofy, but it's when Chichiue didn't speak that meant something was wrong.

So when Naruto looked back at them with his blue, blue eyes all big and hopeful, Shun couldn't do anything but take a small spoonful of the _turdy _meal and pretend to swallow. Just the taste of the sickeningly salty goo on the tip of his tongue was enough to induce a coughing fit.

Over an hour later, the Kazekage was keeling over the table, moaning in pain.  
Guard nins came flying from every direction, windows were broken, everyone— even baby Chi— was detained in jail cells for questioning. Honestly, the guards were so silly. They kept asking Shun what interest did he have in assassa... assissanating... assassi... killing the Kazekage, which made no sense at all. Chichiue had gotten really, really mad. He had stepped in front of the poor, scared little boy and growled at the guards. Chichiue was amazing like that. Eventually, they left Chi and hmself and only held Otousan and Chichiue for further questioning.

In the end, it turned out, it was just a bad case of indigestion.

Needless to say, Chichiue never cooked for Gaara again.

Not that Gaara would ever accept such an offer again. Everytime Chichiue even suggested they dine together, Kazekage was pretty insistent on eating out. Every single time.

Since then, Naruto learned to make a few pastries... but that's pretty much the extent of his culinary talents.

Chichiue ruffled his head affectionately, snapping him out of his daze.

"At least eat a few spoonfuls of my great work of art, ne?"

"It's just ramen!"

Shun stuck out his tongue and Naruto just smiled brightly, which made Shun all warm and fuzzy on the inside, like when he got to delve into deliciously cold ice cream after a long, hot perfect day back home. Perfect day. Chi and Shun would spend the entire day playing in the sand and being loud, without anyone yelling at them. On some special days, Chi didn't cry at all, and she wouldn't keep his toys when he wanted to play with them and she would listen to everything he said. And Chichiue would buy them this soft, chocolatey ice cream and he'd ask about the tons and tons of fun they had. And at bedtime, Otousan would tuck him in and read his favourite story. Chi would already be fast asleep, so Otousan was just reading to him and no one else. And Chichiue would kiss his forehead and tell him to dream big, big dreams... and that was a perfect day. That's the kind of warm and fuzzy he got when Chichiue smiled like that.

So Shun took a bite, but only because Chichiue was super silly. It didn't make him any less unhappy over his predicament.

"I hate this place! It's _stupid_!" Shun whined, spitting out the last word like one would an insect.

Naruto crouched down beside the boy, caressing the child's back soothingly. He gently turned the boy's head towards him. His sincere blue, blue eyes bore into the child's unhappy, almost teary dark, dark ones.

"Shunny, you didn't even give Konoha a chance, mhmm?" he said softly, before cupping Shun's face and tenderly placing a kiss on his forehead. "This is where I grew up. Don't you want to see the village where Otousan and Chichiue grew up? Mhmm? Mhmm?" he asked, nuzzling the little boy in the neck. Shun squirmed in his Chichiue's arms, one hand stifling his giggles, the other wrapped around Naruto's neck to keep from falling.

"Chichiue, you're so silly!" Shun exclaimed in between fits of giggles.

Naruto stopped teasing the boy, and got up to tend to his daughter, who up until now had just been quietly eating her food, watching the whole scene with a confused little smile.

"I have some work to take care of, but after that I'll show you all the cool places I used to love growing up. Doesn't that sound fun?" Chichiue asked, handing the sippy cup to Chi, who was excitedly bouncing her feet back and forth.

"I like Suna!" Shun shouted extra loudly, crossing his arms to clearly show that he was _not_ happy. Chichiue had this way of making Shun forget that he was mad in the first place by being so completely silly. And Shun didn't like to get distracted, especially when he was really angry about something.

For good measure, he glared at Chichiue, who wasn't even looking his way, as he was busy wiping stupid Chi's stupid messy face.

Chi, on the other hand, was trying to make Chichiue have a drink from her sippy cup, as he was wiping down her face. They both had that same stupid, big smile. Shun's frown deepened.

"Chichiue, I like Kohano—" Chi blabbered happily.

"It's Konoha, stupid!" Shun boomed, glaring daggers at the little girl beside him.

"Whatever!" Chi retorted in that high-pitch little voice of hers, turning from Chichiue to her older brother, rudely blowing him a extra spit-filled raspberry.

Shun gritted his teeth and was about to knock that stupid Chi right off her chair, when his arm got caught mid-swing.

"_Shun_," Chichiue scolded harshly, all trace of laughter gone from his face.

Shun shrunk back in his seat, looking at the floor. He wasn't going to push her hard. Besides, she deserved it! Who did she think she was, talking about stuff she didn't know anything about? Chi was so stupid! This whole town was stupid!

He chanced a look up, and Chichiue still had that cold and serious face on, the one that made Shun's insides tie up in so many knots, he couldn't even move.

"Shun!" Chichiue repeated, louder this time, with a hint of a painful threat as he slightly squeezed on the boy's upheld arm.

"I'msorry," he muttered quickly, pouting. It wasn't fair. He didn't even _do _anything.

Chichiue gave him one long reprimanding look, before finally letting go. They had this talk before. Both Otousan and Chichiue got crazy mad whenever he touched Chi. He had spent hours all alone in his room without any of his toys whenever he hit Chi, no matter how stupid she was being.

"She's just a kid." or "She doesn't know any better." or "We're not animals, we don't settle arguments with fists in this household." It was always the same lecture.

He shot Chi a dirty look, but to her credit, at least she had the decency to not gloat in his face. Sometimes, Chi wasn't all that stupid. Sometimes.

XXX

It had only been a couple of days since they moved into this stupid, sucky place that sucked.

Shun had pouted the entire way.

He had yelled, he had screamed, he had thrown the biggest tantrum, which was all met with strained smiles and these sad, guilt-ridden looks.

But Shun wouldn't budge. A little after that mean bastard and the creepy old guy left, Chichiue had told them that they would be moving into another village, that some important work came up and they'd be leaving in a couple of days. Shun refused to leave, he refused to pack, and Shun even refused to come out of his room. He had spent two whole days, wrapped in bed with his stomach growling in hunger.

"If the boy is going to be so damn difficult, then just let him starve!" Otousan had yelled, when Shun refused to go down for dinner after Chichiue had been calling him for ten whole minutes.

Shun laid on his belly, and shoved his face into the pillow so that nobody could see his tears.  
It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, LIFE WASN'T FAIR! Why did they have to move?

But after a few hours, Chichiue had opened the door and put a tray of food on his dresser. Shun was as still as a statue. He pretended to sleep, as Chichiue brushed the bangs off of his forehead and lightly kiss it.

When Chichiue left the room, Shun counted to three before springing out of bed and wolfing down the food. He hated himself for it. He wished he could just starve to death, just to show stupid, meanie Otousan! He had this fantastic scenario all planned out. He'd climb down his window and run away. He'd travel to a nearby forest, maybe in a neighbouring village and learn to hunt and become a kick-ass ninja. And when no one would be looking for him, he'd come back and live happily ever after at home. They'd all cry when Shun was gone!

But just as Shun was about to open his window, Chichiue yanked the door open.

"If you don't come down now, we're leaving without you," he said plainly, almost like the whole thing was boring him.

Blank. For once, his very expressive Chichiue had no emotion written on his face.

_We're leaving without you_. He didn't care... they didn't care... Shun's heart sunk. Well, there went his plan to make them all suffer. His lower lip quivered and he frowned, trying to knock some sense in himself. He wanted to show one up Chichiue! He couldn't start _crying_ in front of him, just because they were going to leave him! He was a big boy. He could live by himself. He didn't need them!

But right then, Chi burst into the room and she began sobbing and screaming hysterically. She said she wasn't going to leave if aniki wasn't coming and eventually, Chichiue sighed deeply, and scooped the bawling little girl off the floor.

Otousan, on the other hand, believed that reasoning with the kiddies was a waste of time and effort. He just marched into the room and grabbed Shun, whisking him on his back in one fell swoop.

All of Shun's punches and vicious kicks were powerless to Otousan's all-mighty wall of indifference.

This place was stupid.

It was too big compared to Suna, with too many stupid people who spoke funny. And there was no sand, just stupid green trees. And the people weren't really friendly. Well, they weren't outright mean or anything, just that they were weird and blank and gave Chichiue odd stares that didn't sit well with Shun. And when they smiled, it wasn't the way people back home smiled. It was just weird! Phony. And the pavement was right cracked and uneven, and it felt strange to run on. You couldn't go super fast because it would start hurting the balls of your feet. Shun loved running back home.

But this wasn't home.

This wasn't Suna.

But it wasn't just the strange smiles or the lack of sand or the rough, dirt-hit pavement that made him despise Konoha so— no, it was the way Chichiue was different under the Konoha sun.

He had the same face Chichiue had... but it was like he was someone entirely different. Someone Shun couldn't recognize— and that, more than anything, terrified Shun.

Sometimes Chichiue would stop whatever he was doing and just stare. Stare out the window. Stare at the wall. Stare into space, at nothing in particular. Like he was showered with this sudden sadness. And then Shun would call out, "Chichiue!" and Chichiue would blink, and smile lightly, and look around a bit dazed before getting back to whatever he was doing... but the sadness remained.

XXX

Chichiue and Otousan never fought. Or at least, Shun believed they never fought. The thing is, Naruto and Sai, despite their immaturity in age, had vowed to try to be the best parents possible. They tried their best to conceal most unpleasantness from their children. Whenever the argument started to get heated, one of them would just walk away and after a couple of hours apart, they'd have cooled down enough to make peace. They barely cussed in front of the little ones, and they made sure to keep from being disagreeable in front of the kids. Of course, this led Shun to believe that his fathers' relationship was perfect. A picture perfect family. Happily ever after. The whole package. For the most part, Naruto and Sai succeeded in what they had set out...That is, until the moved to this cursed village. The thing about kids is, no matter how little the argument concerns them, they never really ever forget parents fighting.

It was nap time, but instead of sleeping, Chi was sniffling on his bed. Shun glared at his clumsy little sister. She was a dummie. She was stupid. So stupid! They were playing a board game on his bed and Chi got a little too excited and knocked over her sippy cup, spilling grape juice all over the light blue bedspread. If Chichiue saw the mess she made, he'd be furious. And of course, he'd blame it all on Shun for not watching over stupid, dummie Chi.

"Shut up," Shun snapped, throwing his sister a dirty look.

"Don't yell, aniki!" the little girl cried out, tears brimming her dark, dark eyes.

"You're stupid," the boy huffed, getting off the bed. He made sure to give Chi one lasting angry look. He wanted her to _feel _how much he absolutely _hated_ her face right about then.

"You're so mean!" Chi whimpered, hugging herself on the soiled bedsheets. She didn't dare to look up at her brother. He was super scary whenever he got really mad.

"Stop crying," Shun harshly barked, making Chi quiet down a bit. Her lower lip quivered, which made Shun increasingly annoyed. Stupid Chi.

He had to clean the dummie's mess before Chichiue found out. Stupid, annoying, rotten Chi. Shun padded his way outside his room. He had to go downstairs to the kitchen, quietly, very quietly. He would get the sponge and make stupid Ch clean the bedsheets so that they were spotless. At the threshold of the staircase, he distinctly heard the sharp voices of his Otousan and Chichiue. They were speaking awfully loud, almost to the point of yelling, but not quite. Shun hesitated before taking a step down, scrunching up his face in concentration to hear better. He couldn't explain it, but something felt really wrong. Suddenly, Shun wanted to run back to his room and close the door shut. His tummy was swirling, and he felt like going to the bathroom, except he didn't really have to go. He was nervous, and he didn't know why. He didn't like this feeling.

"Well? How is she?"

That was Chichiue. Chichiue normally was really loud. When he got annoyed, he was even louder. Shun could recognize his Chichiue's voice anywhere. He never got lost in crowded markets back in Suna, even when he wandered off because Chichiue was _soooo_ loud. It was unmistakable.

"You should go see her," his Otousan repeated.

Otousan. Straight to the point. Bored. Almost harsh.  
Shun was afraid of Otousan's wrath. Not because he yelled or he was violent or anything, but his voice would change. His words were sharp and prickly. Like icicles.

"How is she?"

"You should go see her."

Shun trudged down the stairs, careful not to step on the areas where the wood tended to creak.

"Goddamn it, Sai! It's a simple question!" Chichiue boomed, like thunder. Shun stopped in his steps and fearfully peaked above the banister, into the kitchen where the sounds were coming from. He couldn't quite see his fathers, but he knew that's where they were.

"We came all the way here to see her. For you to see her. GO SEE HER! You say jump, I fucking jump—!"at this point Shun had covered his ears and bit down on his lip to keep it from trembling. Otousan never yelled before. Otousan never used a bad word before! Never! He wanted to go to the bathroom, but not really. He wanted his tummy to stop feeling so funny. He wanted to go back to Suna. He wanted Otousan and Chichiue to stop fighting.

"I never wanted you to jump!"

"Bullfuckingshit."

Shun wasn't sure what it meant, but he knew it was probably something really bad. Otousan used the "F" word. Twice. In the span of a minute. Shun slapped his hand over his mouth to keep from snifflinf. He didn't want to cry. He really didn't. He wasn't Chi!That's when he noticed a white little slip of paper right by the staircase. He stared at it for a few moments, tilting his head. Shun descended the last few steps soundlessly.

"If you're that unhappy then—"

Chichiue. He sounded like he was about to cry. Shun had never seen his Chichiue cry before.

"What? What? Then what?"

In that every moment, blind rage set on Shun. He _hated_ his Otousan right then. Otousan was really, _really_ mean! Making Chichiue want to cry! Shun half wanted to run to the kitchen and push Otousan. Hard. But he was afraid that Otousan might get really mad and hit him. And then hit Chichiue. He'd start crying if Otousan hurt his Chichiue.

"I can't... I can't go see her."

"Just go see her," Otousan sighed.

Shun stretched his arm and quickly grabbed the piece of paper on the floor before anyone came walking out the kitchen. He niftily opened the small crumbed ball of paper. There wasn't much written on it. Just a word. "Congratulations", with a capital "D" written on the bottom right in a thin, angular, almost spidery writing.

Chichiue had thought Shun to read. He was a fast learner. He loved to read. He read everything, every book, every scroll, every label and every sign they had. He didn't always understand what he read, but he could read very well. Chichiue said he had a very good vocabulary for a boy his age. Otousan said that's a trait he got from him.

Shun reread the note. He scrunched up his face. Weird.

The sinking feeling inside his tummy told him he better put the paper back before he got caught.

He could hear movement; the heavy unmistakable steps of his Otousan stalking away.

"Where are you going?"

"Out," Sai replied in a clipped tone.

"Of fucking course you are!"

As the garbled shouts fizzled to a low buzz, Shun quickly slipped the paper to the floor. He tried to run back up the stairs, but he missed a step and slid back down a bit, just as Otousan briskly walked by. Otousan stopped, noticing the boy. At first his eyes widened, surprised perhaps. He probably didn't expect to find his son listening in on their conversation. Shun didn't move an inch, holding his breath. He ignored the sharp pain in his probably scrapped up knee. He was too afraid of Otousan. Sai then looked down, his right foot just inches away from the cursed ball of paper. He bent down, picked it up— the whole scene playing in slow-motion in Shun's deathly scared mind. He pointedly looked at Shun in a way that made him, for the first time ever, recoil back against the wall. Otousan narrowed his eyes, almost like he was glaring at someone, at an enemy, at someone else, at someone who was not his son. Cold. Blank. No trace of underlying warmth or paternal amiability.

Even when Shun threw the worse tantrums, even when he refused to come to this stupid village— never did Otousan look at him with such a painful unfamiliarity.

"Go to your room," Otousan hissed, in a low, strange tone.

Shun scrambled to his feet and rushed up the steps two-by-two, nearly stumbling n the process. He didn't look back once as he bolted to his room and slammed the door shut.

"Aniki, what's wrong?" asked the snivelling girl, still sitting on the now purple-and-blue bed.

She looked up at him with her moist reddened, puffy eyes. Like a defenceless animal.

"JUST LEAVE!" Shun yelled, grabbing the first object he groped— a book— and hurling it against the opposing wall. He missed Chi's head by only a mere inches.

He breathed hard, fixated on the now-indented spot on the wall.

Chi trembled, huddled in a little ball. But when Shun turned his burning glare towards her, she ran out.

This time, she didn't make a peep.

XXX

Of course, Konoha wasn't all bad.

Chichiue took him to this school type place where kids learned all these neat ninjutsus and taijutsus and basically learned how to be an awesome ninja. That's where Chichiue and Otousan grew up. That's where they learned to be kick-ass ninjas.

Otousan said Chichiue ranked last in class. The class loser. But Shun refused to believe it. He never really saw Chichiue in action, not up close at least. Back home, sometimes after bedtime, after Otousan had tucked him in and read his favourite story and Chichiue had told him to dream big dreams, when Chi was fast asleep and the house was real quiet, _too_ quiet, Shun knew that his fathers were gone. He'd then sneak outside into a nearby training terrain and watch Otousan and Chichiue spar. The way they moved, it was like a dance. Perfect harmony. They never really hit each other. They were like acrobats, flying in the air. And sometimes Chichiue would produce this spinning ball out of nowhere, and it would swirl and swirl and swirl. Shun thought it was really cool.

And this really nice old man, Iruka, bought ice cream for Chi and him. It wasn't like the tasty, soft, melty, chocolatey ice cream that Chichiue would buy on those perfect days in Suna... but it wasn't too, too awful. Iruka gave Chichiue a long hug— so long, for a while, Shun was afraid the old man had died in Chichiue's arms. But then he pulled back, and held Chichiue's face in his hands and started crying. But it wasn't a sad kind of crying, Shun doesn't think so because Chichiue was smiling big, real big like he hadn't in forever. Shun suddenly really, really liked Iruka. He erased Chichiue's sad eyes.

When Chichiue went to take Chi to the washroom, Shun was left alone with Iruka. At first, they didn't say anything and Shun just enjoyed licking his dripping ice cream.

"Are you excited to start the Academy?" Iruka asked good-naturedly.

Shun was going to start ninja-training in a few days. Otousan said even if they didn't end up staying in Konoha for long it would be good if Shun began training. Chichiue was super excited. He said that Shun would fall in love with the Academy.

Shun raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his small chest. Got to look tough to impress his future sensei. Can't look like some weak little boy who followed his daddy around all day and didn't know the first thing about fighting. Shun was small for his age and although he was excellent at hitting shurikens on target and he loved running, he never really tried anything else.

Iruka squatted down beside the boy.

"You're going to surpass both your fathers in no time," he whispered conspiratorially.

He ruffled the boy's mop of jet black, and when the boy looked away with a blush on his cheeks, Iruka smiled.

"I like your boy. He's cute," Iruka plainly stated to Naruto, when he came back from his toilet adventures with Chi.

Shun's face turned flush red. Chichiue laughed really hard and Chi just smiled a bit confused, her hands wrapped around Chichiue's leg.

XXX

The first time he met Sakura, if Shun had to be perfectly honest with himself, he was a bit terrified. Chichiue wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. Chichiue just didn't _do_ fear. But this was probably the first time he witnessed his Chichiue literally _shrink_ in fear in front of someone. They were in this little hospital, near this big tower and this weird mountain with people's faces on it. One of the faces looked so much like Chichiue, Shun stood still and stared until Chichiue noticed he wasn't following him anymore and dragged him along. They had to go to the topmost floor, where they were searched by all these strange animal-mask-wearing guards. Shun thought they looked silly. Why would they dress up only to be so harsh and rude with people at hospitals? But Shun didn't say anything, because Chichiue was doing that silent, staring thing again. Even though he couldn't quite grasp the situation, he knew it was serious.

"Leave them alone, they're with me."

It was a woman's voice. A woman clearly with some authority, because as soon as she said that, the weird costumed-guards-people instantly scattered away. But before Shun could even see who spoke, Chichiue _yelped_, taking a step back, almost knocking into Shun.

"STOP! I'm with child!" Naruto yelled, putting his arms defensively over his face, lifting his right leg, where a giggling Chi sat with her arms and legs wrapped around him. She hid her face behind his leg.

"You dirty bastard!"

Shun moved from behind his Chichiue, and saw perhaps the scariest thing he has ever seen in his life, up until that point.

A raging pink-haired woman (pink. pink_. pink! Actually _pink), her right fist in the air, as she glared electricity at his Chichiue. She was positively bestial. Shun swore he could see a vein ready to pop on her forehead. He took a step back, as well. Chichiue was a smart man after all.

"Language!" Naruto shrieked, putting his leg down and hurriedly grabbing Shun. He placed his hands protectively over the boy's ears. Shun just stared blankly at the hulking pink-haired gorilla.

"You purposefully brought them along for protection," she said, crossing her arms on her chest and raising an eyebrow. Shun liked that. Shun made a mental note to try the eyebrow-lifty thing when they went back home. Not real home. Not Suna-home. But ugly, fake Konoha-home.

"There is no way you can prove that!" his Chichiue said, releasing his hold on the boy.

Both Shun and Chi interestedly stared at both parties of this curious interaction. Shun eventually assessed that his Chichiue didn't seem _really_ frightened, and maybe this pink-haired lady didn't _actually_ want to beat his Chichiue up. Shun didn't know what to do. Was he allowed to attack her if she lunged on his Chichiue? Otousan and Chichiue both scolded him when he tried to slap Chi in those moments when she was being _really_ annoying. Shun was fiercely defensive of his Chichiue. Like if that jerky bastard who came all the way to Suna, the one with the funky hair? If he ever insulted or hurt his Chichiue, Shun wouldn't hesitate to knock him over. _Stupid jerk_.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the pink-haired lady looked down and locked eyes with Shun. He instinctively took a step back, pressing himself into his Chichiue. Her eyes widened and she gasped. And then, she did the strangest thing. She _smiled._

"Is... that?" she asked hesitantly, with this really soft expression, that actually made her seem kind of pretty. That's when Shun noticed just how green and sparkly her eyes were.

Chichiue squeezed Shun's shoulder. The boy looked up at his father, who smiled brilliantly at him. Shun felt warm and fuzzy and perfect day-ish.

"It is."

"Oh my! He has grown up so much," she clasped her hands together and suddenly, she was _touching _him and she was cupping his cheeks. Shun didn't know how to react. Chichiue reassuringly rubbed his back, so it must be okay. "You don't remember me, but I remember you!" she went on. "The very first time I saw you, I knew you'd be a heartbreaker. I held you in my arms when you were _just_ a second old. Such beautifully intense eyes."

A second old? She just kept smiling and Shun tentatively smiled back.  
That was a long time ago.

"Cute! Cute!" chirped a voice.

Shun frowned. Chi was always butting in. He turned and glared at the girl, still wrapped up around Chichiue's leg.

The woman did that super cool lifting-one-eyebrow thing at Chichiue and Chichiue started laughing, as he bent over and scooped Chi into his arms.

"Iruka said he was cute," Chichiue explained, leaving a slobbery kiss on Chi's cheek. Shun made a face. Chichiue was _so_ gross sometimes, but of course Chi just giggled it up.

"Oh well," the woman started, grinning madly at Shun, "he definitely is cute." And then, oh God, she winked.

When Shun felt the onslaught of heat making its way up his face, he pressed himself further against his Chichiue, trying to hide his face.

"Oh, look at the blush on this one," the pink-haired lady remarked, amused.

"Stop teasing the kid. He acts all tough, but he's a big softie on the inside," Chichiue laughed, ruffling Shun's hair, he frowned.

He wasn't a kid! And he was _not_ a softie! Shun pouted.

The woman then turned to Chi, who was hiding her face in the crook of Chichiue's neck.

"You know, you're super cute too!" she said, giving the child a big kiss. Chi yelped and turned her face away. Shun crossed his arms and glared. His sister was _too_ shy. She had some serious issues. Stupid. She always had people fawning all over her with her dumb-shy act.

"This little ridiculously shy one here is Chinatsu," Chichiue said, bouncing the girl up and down, "And you already know Shunny boy."

"Your family is insanely good-looking," she whispered, staring at the back of Chi's head. "You're lucky they went on their father."

"Hey!" Chichiue exclaimed, whipping his head back

"Teasing aside, did you take a look at them?" the woman asked, propping an arm on her hip. " Dark hair, dark eyes, heartthrob looks?"

"I know, it's pitiful. They come out of _me_, yet they have not even a single trace of me on them," Chichiue whined and then he stuck out his tongue to Shun, who retaliated by smirking. "See?" Chichiue screamed, wildly pointing at the smirking boy. Shun didn't understand what he just happened, but suddenly both the pink lady and Chichiue were heaving in fits of laughter.

But then, the pink-haired lady's laughter died down, and her face got real serious. She took a decisive step towards Chichiue and she cupped his face, the same way she touched Shun's face. The boy watched the scene curiously. It was also the way Chichiue sometimes touched Otousan's face.

"I can't even describe how happy I am that you're back, Naruto. I know... I know the circumstances suck. They really... God, they suck. But I have missed you _so _much. Konoha hasn't been the same since Sai and you left," she said it softly, and all the while Chichiue and the pink lady didn't break eye contact once. It was such an _intimate_ moment, it almost made Shun uncomfortable to be standing watching. Even Chi turned her head back and just stared blankly. Chichiue swallowed. They must be good friends.

"Thanks, that's kind, Sakura."

Sakura. That must be her name, Shun mentally noted.

" '_That's kind_', really?" she asked, lightly slapping Chichiue's face. It was more of a tap than a slap. More playful than aggressive. Chichiue smiled. Chichiue looked nice when he smiled. Really nice.

"You _know_ I missed you too. I was on my knees, practically begging you to stay with us."

"I had to come back," Sakura explained.

Stay...? In Suna? Shun wanted to go back. Really badly. It was so strange. It felt like he was watching a movie, like this Sakura lady and his Chichiue were in their own world, and Chi and him were just spectators to their life. Chichiue's voice had changed too. It was low, but soft and gentle, and it made Shun's tummy feel weird. It was like Sakura and Chichiue were in on a secret, but no one else was. It was the very first time Shun felt like there might be things about his Chichiue he didn't know. He didn't like that.

"I know, and I had to stay," Naruto retorted.

They kept staring into each others eyes, and Shun kept disliking it. He shifted from one leg to another and cleared his throat. Finally, Sakura stopped looking so intensely at his Chichiue and looked down for a moment.

She then nudged her head in the air.

"She's over there."

Shun looked behind to see what she was talking about. He saw a single door on the left, which was closed. The only closed door in the entire hallway.

Naruto nodded solemnly and handed a fussy Chi to Sakura. She then extended her hand to the little boy and smiled.

"Come on, cutie pie, I'm going to show you the real fun stuff!"

Shun didn't want to leave his Chichiue. He wanted to see what's behind the door. He wanted to know why his Chichiue looked so serious so suddenly. Naruto gently pushed him towards Sakura. "It's okay, Shunny. I won't be long," he whispered, running his hand through the boy's messy black mop. So Shun reluctantly took her hand, but he kept staring back longingly at his Chichiue. He felt like his Chichiue was abandoning him in slow-motion.

"Naruto...!" Sakura abruptly called, squeezing Shun's hand. His Chichiue half-turned, and Shun almost ran to him, clinging. He didn't want his Chichiue to leave him. "This might sound totally stupid, I'm aware. But... Tsunade is dying to hear your voice. I know it," she said hesitantly, and his Chichiue just stared off into space and weakly nodded. Shun didn't like Konoha. Shun didn't like how Konoha changed his Chichiue. Shun didn't like understanding so little of what was going on. Tsunade...? Who? What was she behind the door? Why did Chichiue have to go?

Sakura cut his lingering short by tugging him along. Eventually, he just broke away. He was a big boy, he didn't like to have his hand held. Chi and Sakura hit it off instantly. Every time the pink lady would say something in a baby voice, Chi would start laughing like it's the funniest thing ever. Shun just followed behind, a bit dazed. She would start showing them all these medical machines and how they worked and why they were important and all the crazy stories behind them. Chi, _of course_, was head over heels in love,At one point, Shun couldn't take it anymore and just mumbled an excuse about having to go to the washroom. Sakura frowned at the boy's disinterest, but gave him the directions anyways.

Shun padded away and zigzagged back to the corridor where they first met Sakura. That's when he noticed there was a figure, _a person_, standing right in front of the only closed door. The one his Chichiue went through. Shun squinted and gasped. It was _him_! Shun could recognize him anywhere with his stupid, messy hair that stuck up on its ends. The stupid jerk who dared to show up at their house with the grey-haired old man. The _asshole_ who made them leave their home and come to this stupid place. Of course Chichiue and Otousan didn't say anything, but he knew that jerkface's appearance has something to do with their sudden move. Shun was a smart boy. The man wasn't moving. He just stood there, clenching and unclenching his fists for a while. Just standing. Shun frowned. He was _so _weird. Then, finally, he went in the room.

Shun didn't like the idea of his Chichiue alone in a room with that bastard— who knows what he'd make him do this time. He looked about— Sakura and Chi didn't come to find him. Shun took this opportunity to tiptoe down the corridor. The door was left ajar. _Good._ He waited until he got his wind back— didn't want to be breathing too loudly. Chichiue wouldn't be happy to know he was ease... eabes... eaves... overhearing their conversation. He pushed the door open not more than a crack, and pressed his little head to the slit. It was a small room, that's the first thing he noticed. That bastardly man was standing near the door, his back to it, nearly blocking off all of Shun's view. Someone was lying on the bed. There were a bunch of machines— much like the ones Sakura was enjoying showing off to Chi. He could see Chichiue's head of bright blonde, in the corner of the room, on the opposing side of the bed. His back was turned, he wasn't facing the strange man.

At first, Shun thought that maybe Chichiue didn't know that the jerk was there. Should he warn him? Was the man going to attack his Chichiue? Shun narrowed his eyes, preparing to jump the man, but then he heard the distinct, loud voice of his Chichiue.

"I've heard some interesting stories."

The man didn't say anything. Was he talking to the person in bed? Shun didn't understand what was happening. Stories, he liked stories. Bedtime stories told by Otousan were the best.

"Aren't you curious?"

Shun heard the metallic scrape of a chair. He couldn't really see his Chichiue's face, but he could guess that he probably turned around to face the intruder. Shun made himself smaller.

"I have no interest in hearsay."

Sharp, almost cutting. Deep, deep voice. Practically echoing in the room.  
Shun shivered. He didn't like this man. He wasn't outright aggressive like Sakura, but there was something about him, about the way he spoke, about the way he carried himself... Shun knew he shouldn't underestimate his opponent.

"Even when it involves you orchestrating a coup?"

Shun scrunched up his face. He didn't quite know what it meant, but it had a note of accusation in it. It sounded _villainy_.

"There was no coup. I brought you here, you moron."

Shun's eyes widened. He clenched his fists to keep from bursting blazing into the room and knocking a good one to that bastard. Who was he to call his Chichiue a moron? How dare he?

"I heard they found Inuzuka and Shino in a ditch near the Academy training grounds. Critical condition, barely holding onto life."

Shun frowned. Chichiue continued on seamlessly, as if he hadn't heard the insult.

"They're too stupid to die."

Who says that? Who says something like that? Shun had to start biting his tongue to keep from blowing. That man was so... _infuriating_. How could you say that about someone?

"Is that your asshole way of saying that I shouldn't worry?"

The man didn't answer. And throughout the entire exchange, Shun couldn't figure out how his Chichiue didn't react at all to this stupid jerk. He was continuously insulting him, yet his Chichiue remained unaffected. He didn't even acknowledge the insults. Chichiue was too soft, Shun thought as he frowned. It was Chinatsu's fault, he was sure. She probably gave Chichiue cooties and made him too gooey to recognize insults anymore.

The funny-haired man cleared his throat.

Then, "Do you believe them?"

"I... I don't know what to believe anymore, honestly," his Chichiue said softly. Shun liked his Chichiue's voice. He really did. Especially when it turned all buttery. But he didn't like that he was talking like _that_, all soft and gentle and fuzzy, to the mean bastard. "She looks so different. Unrecognizable."

"The jutsu wore off after the first few hours. Her weakened body couldn't sustain it anymore."

"Don't let others see her like this. I mean, Sakura, Kakashi, Jiraiya— they're all okay, but don't let too many people see. She wouldn't want people to know. And this isn't the image they should have of her."

Shun saw the man move his head. It looked like he was nodding.  
Why was Chichiue asking him favours? Were they... friends?

"I'm not responsible for this."

The man sounded suddenly, out of the blue, irritated. Shun was so confused.

"Okay."

"I'm not," the man sounded borderline angry.

Shun couldn't understand what was the relationship they had. You would think they were enemies, but the way they spoke to each other, the tone of their voice— more than the actual spoken words— betrayed this sense of familiarity, of something amicable. Of course, neither of this fit in Shun's cleaved vision of the world.

"Sasuke, okay. I believe you."

Shun silently acknowledged the name. He would keep his ears open in the future for the buzz of this name. He didn't trust him.

"Sasuke?" the man asked. It was funny how Shun had barely even seen the man's face, yet he could perfectly picture the snobby-eyebrow-raisy type of look he must have. Shun didn't like snobs.

"Yes, well... you're not my superior anymore. In fact, I'll be instated as Hokage soon, so I'm going to be _your_ boss."

Shun could almost _hear_ the teasing smile on his Chichiue's face. Shun didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. First the guy came and insulted his Chichiue, who just let it slide. Then he got angry for some reason, but his Chichiue tried to calm him down, instead of rightfully punching him. And now, he was _smiling_ at him.

"When?"

"In a day or two. Sai and I—"

The man, Sasuke, right? snorted. There was something so belittling about that sound, Shun, for the umpteenth time, had to literally restrain himself from pouncing. Seriously, who did this Sausage guy think he was?

"What?"

But the man didn't answer, and Shun could hear his Chichiue get increasingly annoyed when he bit out another, "Sasuke, what?"

"Stop calling me that."

Sasuke all but barked, avoiding the question yet again. Even Shun was getting unnerved by the man's evasiveness.

"That? You mean your_ name_? What do you have against Sai?"

Shun crossed his arms. Sausage didn't like his Otousan? Really? Well, his Otousan could take down this Sausagy Sasuke guy _any day_.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing. You two fucktards go shack up in the middle of the desert and have an army full of unnatural babies for all I care."

Unnatural babies? Shun tried to carefully shift. He didn't quite enjoy swearing. Too harsh on the ears. It made him feel uncomfortable.

"Don't insult the father of my children. And don't you _ever_ demean about their conception."

Shun's heart skipped a beat. Something about his Chichiue defending his Otousan and getting all protective over him, even after the ugly fight he witnessed between them, made Shun weak in the knees. It gave him hope that things could maybe go back to normal. If at least his Chichiue and Otousan would go back to being chummy, Shun might not dislike Konoha so much. _Might_.

"Father of your children? Not 'my lover' or 'my husband'? Trouble in paradise? Are you two even married? Are those two midgets illegitimate children?"

Shun made a list of all the words he didn't quite understand. He couldn't stand not knowing what was happening. There was so much _bite_ in every word Sasuke used, it made Shun crazy. Everything sounded like an attack to his family. He had to ask someone. Maybe that Sakura lady would answer without being too nosy. Midgets? Shun bit his fist to keep from growling. He'd show him what midgets could so.

"Why are you _so_ angry?"

Surprisingly, Shun noted, the man actually properly answered his Chichiue's question for once.

"You could've said something. That night I showed up at your house, right before you left? You could've said something instead of playing me for a fucking fool. You _should've _told me."

Boy, this Sasuke guy really liked to use bad words. Chichiue told him that bad words were for people who didn't know enough words to express themselves. Sausage must be stupid.

"I... It wasn't planned, it just—"

He could see the mop of blonde move wildly. Chichiue got really excited when he tried to defend a point. He moved his hands a lot. Shun always thought it was funny, because whenever Otousan and Chichiue had an argument, Otousan would just stay calm and blank and Chichiue would move a lot, almost like he had ants in his pants.

"What? It just happened? You just got up and decided to spend eight years in Suna with loverboy and build a family?"

"You know nothing. Always shooting your mouth off, but you know nothing."

His Chichiue sounded upset. Shun couldn't quite understand _why_ his Chichiue was hurt, but he knew that something that Sasuke man said got to him. He wanted to run inside and hug his Chichiue _hard_. Protect him from the stupid man's bad words.

"Then enlighten me," Sasuke challenged.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Shun held his breath, he could hear the gentle, rhythmic beeping of the machines.

"Right, nevermind. I'm just the man who taught you _everything_ you know about being a ninja. But no need to tell me what happened eight years ago."

Taught him everything? So this jerkface was Chichiue's sensei? Or his boss? Or both? And he was mad that Chichiue left this dump of a place to go to Suna with Otousan? Well too bad for Sausage, Chichiue could differentiate a gem like Otousan from trash like Sasuke any day. Shun smirked to himself.

"Sasuke, it's not like that. It wasn't—"

"_Nevermind_."

"You're so impossible to talk to!" his Chichiue burst out. This was the first time he heard his Chichiue outright yelling since his fight with Otousan. Chichiue might be really loud by nature, but he never actually outright yelled. Shun was taken aback. He didn't like the cutting tone in his Chichiue's voice, no matter how much jerk-man deserved it. "I swear to God, conversing with an ape would be easier. It wasn't personal! It wasn't personal, okay? I... I can't tell you what—"

"Are you clinically stupid? I said, ne-ver-mind."

Silence followed, and his Chichiue clicked his mouth shut. Shun was shaking. Literally shaking. He shouldn't have come here. He didn't want to _hear_ this! He didn't want to hear this total _asshole_ insult his Chichiue, insult his Otousan, insult his family, and have Chichiue just... _accept_ it!

Shun wished he was man enough to burst into the room, but then a mollified Sasuke added moments later, "So you decided to accept the position of Hokage."

"Yeah. It's my duty as next-in-line. Someone I know told me they didn't want a Hokage who was too coward to face his demons, and he was right. So here I am."

His Chichiue sounded so determined. Hokage? His Chichiue was going to be _Hokage_? _His_ Chichiue, the leader of a village? Shun bit down on his excitement. Even though he hated this stupid place and he didn't want to stay here _ever_... his Chichiue was going to be Hokage? For a moment, he pictured his Chichiue in Gaara's flowy, beautiful red robes, with his pretty blonde hair blowing in the wind. His Chichiue was _beautiful_.

"She just looks different," Sasuke said, eventually.

"She looks like she's _dying_, Sasuke. Old, wrinkly, frail and _dying._ I didn't want to see this." Shun heard his Chichiue sigh deeply, and then he continued, stronger, "But that's the thing about being a grown-up. You have to do the things you don't want to."

Somewhere along the way, the conversation had died down. It was these silences that Shun hated the most. He was afraid that he'd get discovered if he breathed too audibly.

"It wasn't personal," his Chichiue whispered. Shun wished the damned man would move so he could see his face. Was his Chichiue sad? Upset? Regretful? He couldn't tell.

"Whatever."

And then before Shun had the time to duck and hide, the man whipped around and stalked out. Shun miserably tried to back away to at least not have Sasuke run smack into him. Immediately, Sasuke drew his eyes to little boy. Dark, almost evil eyes. Shun blanched, his heart wildly thudding inside him. There wasn't even a hint of surprise or acknowledgement, as if the man had known that Shun was listening in all along. Sasuke just vilely smirked and sidestepped the mute boy like so much garbage.

Shun sat on the floor, his heart racing for a good couple of minutes after the man had walked away. For all that talk of knocking him over... He hit himself on the head. Shun promised himself that next time he saw the bastard, he wasn't going to be a scaredy little cat. He'd defend the honour of his family.

He narrowed his eyes, determined.

XXX

Shun moved the thick branches out his view to get a better look. Konoha Academy wasn't a big or fancy school or anything like that. It was pretty small. There was one swing set in the yard, and that was pretty much all the decoration there was. The ground was beaten down with big burnt patches of yellow grass. The whole thing didn't look too appealing. He was too far away, but if he squinted, he could see the distinct blurb of a funky ponytail that could only belong to Iruka-sensei.

"_I like your boy. He's cute."_

Shun pulled his shirt over his face, suddenly feeling the unpleasant heat creep up his face.

Iruka was nice. Really nice.

Shun was sort for his age and he'd be one of the older students in class, with the least amount of training. Nothing wrong with wanting to scope out the competition.

Yeah... maybe Konoha wasn't so terrible. The Academy could be fun... not that he would _ever_ admit that to Otousan or Chichiue. This is where they went to school, where they learned to be ninjas so it couldn't be all bad.

"_I'm just the man who taught you everything you know."_

What did he mean by that? Was he Chichiue's sensei? Wasn't Iruka-sensei Chichiue's sensei? Stupid jerky jerk who thinks he's all that.

Shun pushed the collar of his shirt back down in one quick movement of frustration. He furrowed his dark little eyebrows. Bastard. Chichiue was a bajillion times the man that stupid bafoon was. And his hair was so ugly! Like... like a duck's butt! Shun snickered to himself. Duck-butt hair. He put his hand over his mouth as he started laughing loudly. Stupid duck-butt hair!

"So your fathers let you spend all day hiding in a tree, stalking schoolboys? No wonder you turned into such a brat," boomed a crisp voice that made Shun jump a mile high.

He didn't even hear anybody come and he had made sure to hide in a particularly bushy tree to not be seen. He looked around... until he got hit by a stone.

He moaned, rubbing his shoulder and frowning. He looked down, pushing apart the green foliage that's when he saw him. A cool feeling of dread washed over him. A breeze wafted by, the jet black bangs swayed across Sasuke's bored, unmoving face, duck-butt well in place. He was wearing a ridiculous open-chested shirt and a purple skirt-type of clothe, which flowed in the breeze. He looked like a girl. _A very pretty girl_, but Shun would rather eat pig dung than _ever_ admit that even to himself. Shun would've laughed, if it weren't for that cold, hard stare that kept him in place. Dark, dark eyes pierced through the thick leaves, which made Shun desperately want to blend into the tree.

He was hugging the bark as he glared right back at Sasuke.

"I'm not a brat!" Shun shrieked in a less-than-manly voice.

But instead of retorting, Sasuke just smirked in that I'm-so-much-better-than-you way that made Shun's blood _boil_. He couldn't explain it, but in that moment he was overcome with this desire to wipe that stupid look right off his face.

"You're stupid!" he screamed.

Sasuke just raised one eyebrow up and continued smirking, his face perfectly smooth. He did it even better than Sakura did. Shun couldn't stand it.

"A stupid jerkface jerk!" he continued, hollering at the top of his little lungs.

Sasuke looked amused as he continued taunting the boy, "My, such vocabulary. Undoubtedly, you're that Uzumaki retard's child."

"Take that back!" Shun growled, grinding his teeth.

Hands on his hips, Sasuke was practically _glowing_ at Shun's fury. Shun had never met such a hateful man in his entire life.

"Which part? You being a brat? Being stupid? Or that you're the spawn of a retard?"

"DON'T INSULT MY CHICHIUE!"

That's when Shun partially blacked out.

Shun couldn't remember exactly what happened, but suddenly this suffocating heat overwhelmed him. He was gritting his teeth. He hated that bastard, he **hated** him! His eyes were wild, and everything around him began moving in slow-motion. He could hear the blood furiously pumping through him. Every leaf, every branch, every flap of a wing, he could suddenly see it all very distinctly, very slowly. Shun began quaking, he couldn't contain his explosiveness.

He zoned in on that stupid smirk, which suddenly morphed into a tense line. Dark, dark eyes widened, but Shun didn't have time to think about it, because he was already lunging to scratch the bastard's eyeballs off.

The next series of events, Shun couldn't possibly explain if he tried. One second, he was flying mid-air. The next, he was roughly grabbed. Before he could even blink, he was harshly shoved onto the tree bark. Shun closed his eyes and cried out from the impact. He was sure the tree would be naked from the blow.

When he cracked an eye open, there stood Sasuke.

Sasuke... Sasuke... his eyes... they were different. Inhuman. Animalistic, even. Blood, blood red. It almost looked like a star, with two overlapping star-like triangles around his pupil. Sasuke was holding him firmly in place with a single hand pressed to his chest. Shun couldn't feel the blood circulation in the hand that was pinned above his head. Any bravado he had conjured up had evaporated. Shun swallowed his saliva, fear bubbling over him. His skin erupted in gooseflesh.

He didn't know what happened, but in that instant he knew in his very bones that the man before him was capable of killing. _Effortlessly_. Shun's insides were frozen stiff. He was right to think he shouldn't be underestimated.

Shun was heaving, the wind knocked out of him. Sasuke stood there passively, zeroing in on the boy's eyes.

Of course, Shun was oblivious to the frightening sight Sasuke was privy to.

So the little fearful boy confusedly tried to glare up at Sasuke.

Shun glared up, with crimson eyes, in which a single tomoe slowly spun.

XXX

* * *

**CHICHIUE/CHICHI-UE: Naruto  
****OTOUSAN : Sai**

**Well it took nine chapters, but we _finally_ Disenchanted actually begins.**

**Can I just start by saying that Shun is too incredibly **fun **to write. I really hope this enjoyment transcends onto you, the lovely readers.****Lord knows, how much I love you, duckies. From constructive criticism to loveydovey reviews, from hate to praise, I really appreciate the time you guys put in giving me feedback. Can we give **crzyanimemom **a round of applause? She always does a marvellous job at cheering me up and encouraging me to spit out a chappie.**

**I'm currently entering my finals period (Jo-jo-joy!). And because I have nine classes (count 'em baby!), I'm be in exam-mode for over a month. Unfortunately, I don't plan on making any updates until then. That's the sucky part of growing up. Exams _actually_ matter. -.-**

**NEW FANFIC OBSESSION: Fallacies of Altruism. It is _soooooooooooooooooooooooo _effin (fcken? Fucking? Am I allowed to swear here...?) delicious. So much emotional satisfaction, it'll make your head spin. Read it. Read it. Do it.**

**As always, new poll q should be up. Feel free to vote.**

**Dear beautiful people, I hope you have a _gorgeous_ week. Keep spreading the smiles and don't ever forget to be awesome. (:**

**JD**


	10. The First Interlude

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, no copyright infringement intended, I'm just a senseless girl with too much caffeine, a laptop and a mad love for two anime boys.**

**Also, for additional flavouring: "Open Water" by Thrice really, _really_ sets the mood for what this chapter tries to evoke.**

_Ten thousand men sleep down with Davy Jones;  
with stolen treasure they tithe.  
The open water chills me to my bones,  
but it's the only place that I feel __**alive**__._

_The open water is my __**only**__ fear,  
but I'll sail __**as long as I still have breath in me**__._

_I'm starting to believe the ocean's_  
_much like you,_  
_because it gives_  
_and it takes  
__**Away**__.  
_"**Open Water****" by Thrice**

**Disenchanted**

**By  
****JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER TEN:  
****The First Interlude**

* * *

Itachi never really wanted a little brother.

He didn't want a little sister either. He didn't see the point in adding a member to the family. Babies were pretty useless anyways; it took them practically two decades to become independent, fully functioning, contributing members of society. Far more than most species. They cried a lot, in that shrieking, ear-drum bursting high pitch. They pooped and made miserable little faces when they weren't understood— which was pretty often, since they couldn't use any sensible form of language. They were such... invalids. It's not that Itachi wanted to abolish babies altogether— he was all for the continuation of humankind. He just didn't care much for them.

He was sure he had been the same babbling pile of drooling mess at some point in his life too, but luckily he didn't have any recollection of that period in his life.

No, Itachi never wanted a little brother.

But unfortunately, he didn't have much control over his parents' procreating urges.

So when, one July morning, his parents waltzed home with a tiny bundle in their arms, Itachi didn't bother looking up from his Academy homework.

"Itachi, we have someone we'd like you to meet," his mother ushered him gently, cradling the bundle in her arms. His father stalked to the master bedroom without saying a word. He wasn't much interested in this baby business either.

"Hn," Itachi continued writing in his little notebook, unconcerned.

"Itachi, don't you want to see Sasuke?" Mikoto asked, taking a step towards her older son. She crouched beside him, bringing the slumbering baby to his level. Itachi paid no heed to his mother.

"No," he answered honestly.

His mother lingered beside him for a bit longer, taken aback by his complete disregard for his younger sibling. No excitement. No jealousy. No fondness. No sense of kinship. No emotion whatsoever. Eventually, when Sasuke began crying, Mikoto slowly got up, a bit unsure.

The next few days, his mother desperately tried to bring up Sasuke every chance she got. She would make breakfast and talk about everything Sasuke did. She would serve dinner and spew her hopes and dreams for Sasuke. She would tuck Itachi in bed and share how much she hoped Sasuke and he would get along. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. She would then always stare at Itachi expectantly— waiting, hoping, praying for some minuscule sign of interest. Something, _anything _other than that cold glaze of indifference Itachi always wore. But Itachi just did not care.

"Itachi, I have to pick up a few things at the market," his mother said one afternoon, a few months later.

Itachi was in the yard, target practising with his shurikens. He nodded.

"Itachi, come here," his mother called over, standing by the patio door with Sasuke in her arms. Itachi sighed and reluctantly complied. Putting his shurikens down, Itachi jogged towards his mother.

"I have to pick up a few things at the market," she smiled. Mikoto had a pretty smile. Itachi liked it.

"Hey, put your arms up." Itachi obliged. "Here, like this," his mother corrected his arm positioning, placing them horizontally, one arm slightly higher than the other. She looked up and ruffled Itachi's long dark hair, smiling in that beautifully serene way of hers. She then gently placed the baby in his arms. "Hold Sasuke, I'll be back soon."

"I don't want to," Itachi frowned, staring at the yawning baby he got tricked into holding.

"That's not nice. Sasuke has been dying to meet his amazing big brother," Itachi wanted to argue that Sasuke probably didn't have any conscious thoughts yet and most likely didn't know who his brother was or what a 'brother' consisted of for that matter. But his mother smiled down at him, beaming with such hopeful brilliance, Itachi sighed and clamped his mouth shut. "I'll be back in ten minutes tops," she whispered, kissing his forehead, before bending down and softly kissing Sasuke's.

The baby cooed. The little bugger liked the attention.

When Mikoto left, Itachi heaved another big sigh and plopped down on the deck.

"You're annoying," Itachi muttered, glancing down at the tiny little creature nestled in his arms.

Sasuke blinked. He was bundled up so tightly in the blanket, his arms were barely visible. He was such a tiny little thing, with the smallest little fingers and the tiniest button nose. So small, so fragile. When he yawned, he scrunched up his entire face. Itachi could break him in a second if he wanted. So vulnerable. His skin was so creamily pale, like a porcelain doll. Sasuke just blinked. Slowly. Closing his eyes, with his long, curved, dark lashes fanning on his cheek, and then opening to reveal his big, round, dark, dark eyes. Sasuke stared back up at him, curious. Blink, blink. Sasuke was fascinated by him, and Itachi couldn't tear his eyes away. Dark, dark, so dark, they sucked you in. Teased, tempted you with all the layers of mystery hidden beneath the glaze of complete blank innocence. So dark, Itachi could barely make out the pupils. Sasuke opened and closed his tiny pink mouth, his dark eyes fixated on Itachi. He was beautiful, like Mikoto's smile. Perfect. _Perfect eyes_, that's what Itachi thought as he brought a hand to caress the baby's porcelain skin. Sasuke cooed.

"Thank you, Itachi," he suddenly heard his mother opening the patio door, startling him out of his stupor.

Had it been ten minutes already? Hadn't she just left?

"I'm sorry that took longer than I expected, I can take him back now," Mikoto huffed breathlessly, as she bent down to scoop Sasuke up.

Itachi just continued staring at his baby brother.

"Itachi?" Mikoto called out softly, brushing her son's bangs out of his eyes.

He just brought his arms closer to his chest.

He never wanted a little brother.

But maybe it wasn't so bad.

XXX

Sasuke was quite unlike anybody he knew, quite unlike anybody in the Uchiha clan— a lot like his mother, actually, but with more freedom, more careless innocence that comes with being a child.

Every evening, when he would come back home, there would be— without fail— the excited pitter patter that would increasingly grow louder until he was throttled by a teeny weeny little body.

"Aniki!" Sasuke would squeal.

His big, brown eyes would gleam with sheer glee. Itachi found it so strange. Nobody ever looked at him like that before. Nobody ever looked at him with complete, unconditional adoration. Nobody, but Sasuke.

Then Sasuke would proceed to press his cheek against Itachi's own real hard. That was Sasuke's quaint way of kissing. Sasuke would leap off his lap and firmly take his hand, tugging him to his playroom. He was a very bossy child.

He would spend the entire evening babbling about his day, as he put his toys back in their rightful place. Their mother demanded that Sasuke's room be spic and span before supper. Itachi would just sit crossed legged on the floor, much to Fugaku's displeasure. Their father would often scold Sasuke for eating up Itachi's precious time with his nonsense, but Itachi never got up to leave and always waited for Sasuke to finish his tale. Sasuke's days weren't very interesting. Itachi listened anyways.

When Sasuke got a bit older, gone was his carefree, cheery disposition. Like every Uchiha son, Sasuke gradually became desperate, practically obsessed with their father's approval. Itachi found it amusing how hard Sasuke tried to act like a proper Uchiha man when he was but a child. He would cross his arms over his chest and glare with every single one of his facial muscles, it looked more like he had just eaten something incredibly sour than an intimidating glare.

Sasuke followed him around like a puppy with big, bright eyes full of admiration. But whenever Itachi would swiftly turn back, the boy would shake his head and replace his doe-eyes with a very forced grimace, but a second too late— Itachi always managed to catch a glimpse. His kid brother was so foolish.

Itachi saw the way the boy's spirit was crushed under the heavy weight of their father's expectations. Sasuke was confused. He couldn't decide if he adored Itachi or if he was direly jealous of him. Itachi thought it was unfortunate that his little brother spent so much time and energy on trying to achieve perfection, when Sasuke was already so... _special_— a word Itachi did not use lightly. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, he couldn't quite decipher just what exactly made Sasuke seem so _different_ from everyone else in Konoha. Was it something he did? Something he said? Itachi just knew that when he saw those big, dark eyes light up with so much life whenever he walked into a room, Itachi transformed into a different person altogether. Different. Better. Nicer.

"Sorry Sasuke, maybe next time."

He would poke his forehead and Sasuke would pout.

His gaze would fall to the floor, his hopes dashed.

Sometimes, Sasuke would pester him a bit more, but it would lose all its edge, all its strength.

And Itachi caught himself caring. He _cared_. He cared for this little, tiny, crushable human being. He cared so much that everytime Sasuke's face fell at every broken promise, Itachi wished that he could be the kind of brother who never broke his promises. Oh, how he wished. He wished and wished from the bottom of his heart. And maybe that's what made Sasuke so _special_. It wasn't that Itachi was any different, it was that he made Itachi _want _to be different. Different. Better. Nicer.

So when he swiftly pulled the blade out of their mother's chest, and her body collapsed onto their father's, lifeless, there was a moment. Or well a flash, really. A foreseeing flash of the chain of events that would ensue.

They say that you are a culmination of the defining moments in your life. Defining moments; moments that mold you, shape you, change you into the person you are today. Moments that no amount of time could erase from your psyche, that no amount of words could undo. The scars of your soul.

Pitter patter. Pitter patter. Pitter patter.

Itachi calmly looked over his shoulder, easily heaving the blood-soaked sword onto his back.

The little boy's whole body quaked with such violence, his feet gave out from beneath him. He collapsed to his knees. His big, dark eyes, moving fervently, savagely. They drank in the scene, gleaming from the wild tears sprouting down his cheeks.

Itachi just stared impassively. It's a peculiar thing, Itachi thought, to look into someone's eyes and witness the exact Defining Moment you destroyed every inch of humanity in them.

The exact defining moment you change the brilliant, expressive eyes of a child into empty shells. The eyes of a walking carcass. The defining moment, when you ravage his innocence, leaving him to be just a damaged, broken bundle of flesh.

Damaged. Broken.

Somewhere deep inside, Itachi wished he was the kind of brother who didn't grievously strip his kid brother of stability, who didn't rob him of love, of family, of his ability to trust.

XXX

The first time he encountered Sasuke after that Defining Moment, Sasuke wasn't a day over eleven.

He had grown in stature— a small, slightly effeminate frame in big, baggy clothes. His hair was the same, a bit longer, but still styled in that odd duck-butt way their mother loved to make for him.

But the first thing Itachi had noticed was how Sasuke's eyes had changed.

Angry, so viciouslyangry_. Animalistic_. Yes, that was the right word. Animalistic eyes.

Dark pools of that sucked one into oblivion.

So much aggressiveness and rage...

And yet, so terribly lost and lonely

Sasuke charged straight at him. Itachi broke his wrist effortlessly. He then trapped him in a genjutsu, much to Kisame's delight. That day, he broke Sasuke over and over and over again.

When Kakashi swept in for the big save a few minutes later, Sasuke had already relived Hell, his defining moment, a couple hundreds of times.

"Let's finish them," Kisame bared his fangs.

Kakashi pushed his hitai-ate out of his eye, unmasking his Sharingan. The man meant serious business.

"We have a boy to find. Let's go," Itachi dismissed the fight, vanishing. He had other more important matters to tend to. Kisame growled, but reluctantly complied.

But as Itachi leaped through the trees, he allowed himself a look behind.

The boy's body had collapsed into Kakashi's strong arms. He was trembling, his eyes unfocused, glazed. Kakashi gently swept the bangs out of the catatonic boy's face. Gently, almost... lovingly.

That's when it struck him. Maybe, Itachi thought, maybe Sasuke's eyes could go back to the way they were after all.

"Come on, hurry up," Kisame said gruffly, drawing Itachi's attention back to the task at hand.

It was instantaneous. Itachi knew it _instantaneously _in a dizzying light-bulb moment_. _As soon as they arrived near the Academy, the second he laid eyes on him, Itachi knew. Him. The lone boy in the corner of the training ground that no other kid wanted to play with, the boy with the most radiant blond hair he had ever seen. The boy flicked his eyes to the sky— that's when Itachi caught a glimpse of blue, blue, sparkling blue, but terribly lonely eyes. Itachi couldn't look away. Intantaneously, he knew. This was the one they were looking for.

Naruto Uzumaki.

XXX

The second time he encountered Sasuke, a few years later, it was a fluke. He never planned on coming across his brother in the Wave Country.

So he broke four of his ribs, and just when he was about to break a fifth, he was interrupted by an obnoxiously loud cry of rage.

"Leave Sensei alone!" boomed the a loudmouth, in that irritatingly wavering pitch that prepubescent boys oft had.

An army of wild-haired blonds swarmed into view. Clones, all with the same blue, striking blue eyes. Determined. Furious. _Alive_. Those eyes.

Naruto Uzumaki. Always so memorable.

In a flash, before Itachi could act, Sasuke carelessly jumped in front of the army of that foolish blond boy, throwing himself in front of the child protectively. Or well, idiotically, really. Itachi could have seamlessly killed the both of them in a heartbeat. Effortlessly. But Sasuke's sharingan was pointed directly at Itachi, fearless. Stupidly fearless. That's when it dawned on Itachi this was a boy his foolish little brother was willing to die to protect.

What was the relationship between the both of them?

Itachi disappeared into thin air, musing over this new development.

XXX

The third time he met Sasuke, his brother had blossomed into a fully grown man of imposing stature. Handsome. Tall, dark and mysterious. Strikingly beautiful. Everything an Uchiha clansman should be. It occurred to Itachi how tearfully proud their mother would have been, if she could set eyes on the man her precious baby boy had become.

Itachi looked right into his angry, lost, broken eyes.

"We need to talk."

Sasuke flung himself at Itachi, Chidori buzzing in his left hand.

XXX

The fourth time he met Sasuke, he only saw him from a distance. Itachi was preoccupied with cradling the unconscious blond in his arms. He didn't have much time to perform the jutsu.

Sasuke's face drained of all color the moment he realized just who Itachi was holding. Horror-stricken, Sasuke made a mad dash through the sandy fields.

Sasuke was fast, but not fast enough.

Their eyes locked for but a mere second, but that was enough for Itachi.

His eyes never changed back, Itachi noted with some semblance of regret. Still such a hurricane of hatred and rage whirling over a layer of sheer broken apathy.

Lonely, so lonely. Always lonely.

The eyes of a man who can't bring himself to live, who can't bring himself to love.

After all these years, Sasuke was still so damaged and broken.

XXX

Itachi stood on the hefty rock, overlooking the ocean. The air had a heavy musk to it. Itachi apathetically noted the grey clouds looming about them. Kisame swam to his heart's content, unconcerned. It was about to pour any second now.

Itachi closed his eyes.

Sometimes, when he closed his eyes, for a moment, it would all flash through his mind. Screenshots. Like a movie.

There'd be Sasuke.

Sasuke smiling. Sasuke laughing, like he would when he was just a little boy, like when he would jump to greet him home. Sasuke growing up, Sasuke growing old. Sasuke married, Sasuke with beautiful black-haired babies. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Sasuke glowing. Sasuke peaceful.

Like the Sasuke he held in his arms for the very first time so many moons ago.

He imagined the Sasuke that was supposed to be, but the Sasuke that never was.

Sasuke with fulgent, dark eyes. Alive. Burning, with the scorching fire of a thousand stars.

And then Itachi would open his eyes, and the moment was gone, as if it never happened.

Itachi looked up at the sky. The rain cried down on him.

His arms wide open, embracing.

_Between the devil and the deep blue sea,  
I stare into the__** abyss**__.  
The open water is an awful thing,  
But I'm anxious till the anchor is aweigh._

_I'm starting to_  
_believe the ocean's_  
_much like you,_  
_because it gives_  
_and it takes  
__**Away**__._

* * *

**There is this amazing, ridiculously talented reader who has gifted Disenchanted with its very FIRST FANART. The link is on my profile, it is mouth-wateringly gorgeous and you guys should definitely check it out and tell her just how UNEFFINBELIEVABLY TALENTED she is!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you starlightdevil, I am so humbled by your precious gift.**

**Thanks for reading, duckies.**

**Now, please enjoy the day and GO ROLL IN GRASS, weeheee.**

**JD.**


	11. FuckedUp Kind of Life

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, no copyright infringement intended, I'm just a senseless girl with too much caffeine, a laptop and a mad love for two anime boys.**

_I got ice in my veins,  
__**blood**__ in my eyes;_

_Hate__ in my heart,_

_Love in my mind;  
I see nights full of pain, days do the same  
__You keep the sunshine, save me the rain__. _

_It __**hurts**__, but I never show,  
This __**pain,**__ you'll never know  
If only you could see just how __lonely __and how __cold__  
And __frostbit__ I've become;_

_My back's against the wall  
When push come to shove,_

_I just stand up and scream, "__**Fuck them all**__"_  
"**Drop the World****" by Lil Wayne ft. Eminem**

**Disenchanted  
****By  
****JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:  
****Fucked-Up Kind of Life**

* * *

It is safe to say, Uzumaki Naruto believes, that he has had one helluva fucked-up kind of life.

Way more fucked-up than the average person.

After all, how many children grow up as ostracized orphans with a demon nesting in their bodies? Actual. Literal. Tangible. Non-metaphorical. _Real_ demon? Naruto wasn't too sure on the statistics, but he was estimating not too, too many.

His childhood wasn't a period of his life he liked to stop and think about. He wasn't one to waste his energy pondering on all the unpleasant parts of his life. It was painful, growing up in Konoha. People pointed, people stared, people whispered; parents scurried away with tight grips on their children's wrists, warning them to not associate with the likes of a demon. He was alone. All alone, all the time. He taught himself the very basics of life, copying mostly from television. When he was a little boy, he would often cry. But nobody cared for the shed tears of a demon-boy. When he realized that tears were useless, he moved on to acting out. He would do the stupidest, craziest pranks just for any semblance of attention, because being scolded and actively disliked was far more bearable than being invisible.

Iruka was a godsend. Iruka was the very first person who _saw_ Naruto, saw him as a _person_, as a little boy with big dreams, saw Naruto as Naruto, and not just as the garments for a demon. Yes, Iruka was a godsend. Had he not been there to _see_ Naruto, to acknowledge him, the Naruto today would be a very different person– probably, a very broken and jaded one.

Iruka was also the very first person Naruto was certain that he loved. Unconditionally. Maybe the way sons loved their fathers. Naruto never had a father in his life, so he couldn't be too sure. But he knew, the moment Sai and him had decided to return to Konoha, he really wanted Iruka to meet his babies.

Iruka was kind and gentle. Iruka was love and stability. Iruka was an angel.

Or, at least, that's what Naruto had believed until the day he set eyes on the new teacher's assistant who would be leading Iruka's class.

The first time ten year-old Naruto set his sights on the tall, brooding and silky pale figure of their new teenage TA, Naruto's first thought was, _this_ is what an angel looks like.

My goodness, he was hit, and he was hit _hard_.

And so Naruto had jumped up on his desk and proclaimed right then and there his undying, unconditional and furious love for Sasuke.

"_I know that you don't know me, and I know that I don't know you, but we are going to get married and have lots and lots of babies and OHMYGOSH, WHAT IS THIS PAIN IN MY CHEST? THIS FIERCE TIGHTENING MUST BE PURE LOVE. OH KAMI-SAMA, I LOVE YOU, SENSEI."_

For a ten year old, when you can't seem to take your eyes off a beautiful, beautiful man, when you've memorized every curve of his figure, every mole, every nook and cranny: his high cheekbones and perfectly smooth nose, his manly thin lips, his almond-shaped dark eyes, his long lashes that curved at the end in this almost feminine elegance, the delicate vein on his forehead that became prominent when he was excessively annoyed, the small crease between his eyebrows that became apparent when he glared, the suave arch of his dark eyebrows, his almost dainty fingers─ when you spend every waking minute thinking about him, talking about him, staring at him, proclaiming your never wilting affection for him, when your heart beats furiously just at the thought of him, when the giddy dragons in your stomach roar with excitement at the prospect of seeing his beautiful, angry face in the morning, when your palms sweat profusely and you turn into a total, utter dry-mouthed idiot in his presence, you think this is _it_. This is Love.

And Naruto in love was a terribly frightening thing.

Naruto in love was getting up at five in the morning and spending hours grooming himself and composing sickly sweet poems─

(_ "Oh, beautiful, virtuous Sa-su-kay; you make me oh so very gay"_,

"_When I see you, every single day  
You completely brighten my day;  
__The way you strut,  
__shows off your black duck-butt;  
__Your ass is so sexy  
__I want to know how flexi... ble you are?"_

or Naruto's finest piece of work, _"You are an an-gel, let's have a-nal"_

Sasuke was an older man, Naruto thought he would appreciate the poems if he injected a bit of sex appeal in them; Naruto hoped Sasuke might see him as more mature or adult-like than just a childish student.)

Naruto in love was rushing off to school, much before classes began, just to get his daily fix of Sasuke-staring and Sasuke-eating-breakfast and filling-Sasuke's-drawer-with-love.

Naruto had wanted to marry Sasuke. He had wanted his children. When Naruto looked into Sasuke's deep, dark eyes, he saw blazing stars.

Naruto was one pathetic, lovesick fool.

But the day his innocent love letter was returned to him, ripped apart from angry red-inked corrections, packed with a dictionary and a downright _mean_, scathing remark with the scalding touch of Humiliation, Shame and Rejection, disenchantment came barrelling down on Naruto. Sasuke was no Prince Charming.

What Naruto had felt for Sasuke, it wasn't love. It had never been love.

It was obsession, it was infatuation, mixed with enchanted fantasies of a little boy with a very fertile imagination. How could he _love_ Sasuke? He didn't even know Sasuke; he didn't know the first thing about him. He had just pinned all his hopes and dreams onto the blank canvas that was Sasuke. He didn't love Sasuke, he had just been in love with the idea he had conjured up of Sasuke.

Sasuke wasn't just some gorgeous, angry man who would set his eyes on Naruto and instantly fall in love. He wasn't going to morph into this fairytale-like Prince Charming who would woo Naruto off of his feet. Naruto used to think he'd take one look in his sapphire blues, one look at his innocent, sunny face and he'd be a goner! And Sasuke would respect him and be kind to him and they'd connect on every level and he'd automatically know when Naruto was sad or happy and Naruto would never ever be alone again.

For a ten year-old boy who had crawled himself out of the loneliest abyss of social ostracism, the thought of Sasuke being that kind of beacon for Naruto had been so _soothing_. Grown-ups should know to always be gentle when breaking the carefully sculpted, fragile little fantasies of children─ it's the only way to keep the broken shards of disillusionment from cutting them. Unfortunately for Naruto, he had to go and get his heart torn to shreds by _Sasuke_. Even a teaspoon had more sense of empathy than Uchiha Sasuke.

Rejection had been like an unexpected, wicked bitchslap to the face. It _stung. _Sasuke didn't care for Naruto. He never did. He wasn't some brooding Prince Charming waiting to be mended by Love. And for a little boy who had invested so much of himself into this one fantasy, the crushing weight of reality was utterly crippling. Hatred was the only thing Naruto could cling onto, hatred was the only thing that had kept Naruto from having his last shred of self-esteem and dignity ripped away from him.

If Naruto were painfully honest with himself, he knew that his one-eighty switch from obsessive infatuation to violent hatred was a bit... much, regardless of Sasuke's behemoth ways. So if Sasuke wasn't a Prince charming, then he was a douchebag, an ass and a bastard. It was so much easier to mindlessly categorize Sasuke in another box. If he wasn't the hero of the story, then he was the villain. End of story.

He didn't, or maybe it was that he just couldn't, at that point, allow himself to look deeper, to try to understand Sasuke─ the real Sasuke; he didn't understand why Sasuke was the way he was, what drove him, what were his goals, his ambitions. He couldn't see Sasuke for Sasuke.

Both his infatuation and his subsequent hatred had been very much illogical, immature and baseless. Naruto knew that now.

He swilled the chair he was sitting in, appreciating the softness of the leather surface. He ran his hands horizontally on the big, lavish table, awed. The Hokage's office was quite an ostentatious room. A lot of money and resources went into maintaining this place in tip-top shape. Easily the size of the apartment he used to live in when he was a teenager. Soon, this office would be his. In two days, to be exact.

As Naruto lazily spun the hefty chair, he marvelled at how perfectly cruel fate was to bind him to Sasuke, the man who caused him so much angst and humiliation at such a tender age. It wasn't bad enough that he had to endure six interminable months of Sasuke as his sadistic TA after the heartless rejection, but the insufferable bastard had to end up being his ANBU team leader. Never mind the fact that said bastard, who quite frankly loathed Naruto with every inch of him, fathered his child. FATHERED. HIS. CHILD. _Oh Fate, you PMS-ing uber bitch._

Naruto frowned, roughly rubbing his hands over his face to ease the tension. Oh, he didn't want to remember that night. He really didn't like thinking about such unpleasant things. It always left him with a bitter taste in his mouth─ the cheap stench of being used, discarded and all-round stupid.

The whole male pregnancy thing. Naruto sneered, sticking out his tongue in disgust. The whole male pregnancy thing would _never_ stop being weird. Nine, longass months of fatness, morning sickness, swollen feet, wobbling, annoying hormonal imbalances, random strangers touching your fucking belly and just the whole feeling right awkward in your body... pregnancy was such an annoying affair. Oh, and then there's the whole menstruation thing. Oh Lord. Naruto slapped his hands on his face just remembering the first time, after Shun was born, that Sakura tried to explain the whole 'bleeding-out-of-your-vagina' thing. Thankfully, Naruto didn't have a vagina to get soiled with blood, instead every month, for about a week, Naruto had to drain his corpus luteum using a syringe and this strange jutsu that Sakura had taught him. Naruto blanched, gagging at the memory. Needless to say, it was unpleasant. Fuck, that was messed up. Fuck, his life was messed up!

That night, after Tsunade's atomic bomb of a diagnosis, when Sasuke showed up in his living quarters, concerned, caring even, coming to _check up_ on him─ that night was probably the first time Naruto considered he had read Sasuke all wrong, the first time he thought he had caught a glimpse, a hint of depth in Sasuke that he had been missing all this time. It's then that Naruto thought that maybe Sasuke deserved to know about his child.

But still, he ran off to Suna. It was a smart plan too. Akatsuki wanted to take his child and wield it as a human weapon, Tsunade covered for him back in Konoha and Gaara had offered him a safe little haven where he could figure out his life and train under him for the title of Rokudaime. He also had his very best friends by his side─ Sakura, one of the brightest, rising medic nins in the ninja world and Sai, his childhood rock, his first source of moral support.

At that time, abortion had seemed like the only logical solution. He didn't know how to raise a child. He never even had parents. The closest thing he could think of was Iruka, but even Iruka was just a schoolteacher, who had to divide his attention among a slew of students. Never mind the fact that by the very nature of its conception, the child would be a freak. The hollow wound of loneliness was one he didn't want to inflict on anyone, least of all his own child. There were so many unanswered questions coursing through his mind. Would the fact that he's a demon container interfere with the development of his child? Would he be born normal, _whole_? There were so many scenarios that ran through his head, all of which led to the same conclusion: his child would be miserable. Birthing a child doomed to a lifetime of humiliation, affliction and alienation was too much for Naruto to bear.

So yes, abortion had seemed like the only logical solution.

Sakura had sat him down and held his hand gently between hers. She told him that he was rather early on in his pregnancy and he still had time to change his mind.

Naruto insisted that he wanted it done now and he wanted it done fast.

"One week, Blondie," Sakura told him, ruffling his hair affectionately. "I'll do the operation in exactly a week's time, if that's still what you want it."

Naruto had glared.

He had wanted the abortion and he was sure of it... Except, not really.

Then Sakura had bent down and placed her hand to the middle-left of his chest.  
"You have to ask your heart what it desires. Just take the time to talk to your heart."

And with each passing day, he became less and less sure of his decision.

It just didn't feel... right. It didn't feel like the right path for him.

There was this tiny little human growing inside of him, a tiny human who had all the odds pitted against him─ already wanted by the biggest criminal organization in the ninja world, conceived by two males, carried by the blondest, loudest, clumsiest sixteen year old boy. The kid certainly didn't have it easy, right from the get-go. But Naruto knew as sure as he would be Hokage someday, he knew that regardless of the obstacles, he would _love_ his child. He would love this tiny, little human. He could already picture a cute little blonde haired, blue eyed girl running around, calling him daddy... He would love this child and he would always be by its side, and because of that, his baby would never really be alone.

He would protect his child from all the evil and all the heartbreak of the world.

He vowed to be the father he never had, but always wished he did.

So when the decision day came, Naruto climbed the Kazekage's tower and sat down Indian style. He closed him eyes and emptied his mind with a technique ero-sennin had taught him.

Naruto was immediately struck by an overwhelming burning chakra.

"_So Uchiha's slut finally came down to see me?" _growled a thunderous voice that made the ground around him shake.

Naruto opened his eyes, finding himself in front of gargantuan iron gates, locking the smirking Beast within. His right eye twitched. "What did you call me?"

"_You heard me, Uchiha's Slut," the Beast hissed demonically, amused._

"I'M NOT HIS SLUT. WE FUCKED _ONCE. _ONCE! THAT'S HARDLY SLUT MATERIAL! STUPID FOX," Naruto exclaimed hysterically, wildly pointing a finger at the fox.

Kyuubi purred disinterestedly in a way that only further provoked Naruto. He sighed, glaring at the demon before him.

"Nevermind," Naruto huffed, crossing his arms across his chest, his tone becoming serious. "I only have one question to ask you."

"_Oh? I'm hurt. You only come when you need me. How you use me," _Kyuubi mock-whined in a shrill octave that raised the hairs on the back of Naruto's neck. He closely surveyed the Beast, who just smirked, exposing his brilliant, sharp canines.

"My kid... are you able to interfere with it? Influence its development or shape or...?"

"_I'm sealed within you," _the demon dead-panned. Although he was facing the wall in front of him, the corner of his eye was carefully locked on Naruto.

"The seal weakens during childbirth, does it not?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. Kyuubi was a cunning little demon with an annoying penchant for mind-fuckery.

"_Smart little boy," _the demon cooed, haughtily lifting his nose; Naruto didn't like his tone.

"Lucky guess. Thank you for confirming it," Naruto nodded dismissively. He turned his back with a heavy heart, ready to leave. He had gotten all the information he needed and so the matter was settled.

"_GAKI,_" Kyuubi growled in an oddly desperate way. The chakra flames singed, keeping Naruto from leaving. He slowly turned to face Kyuubi, his hands on his hips as a sign of impatience.

"_The kit you're nesting, he's a special one. I'm sure you can feel it too, yes? Not even two months, and already its chakra is perceptible."_

Naruto just stared. It's true; recently, he had started to perceive the beginnings of a different chakra within him. Similar. Familiar. And yet, different. But it was still very weak. He couldn't always detect it, but sometimes he could feel shreds of it.

" _My chakra does influence the kit, but not in the way your over-active imagination thinks. He's not going to be born some half-beast half-human." _Kyuubi calmly explained, his dark, blazing eyes directed at Naruto, who slowly nodded, absorbing the information.

"Thanks," Naruto finally said, smiling toothily.

"_Shut the fuck up, Uchiha's slut._"

That's when Naruto brought his consciousness back to reality and hauled his way down the tower to Gaara's office. He looked straight into Sakura's light green eyes and clenched his fists, determined.

"About that operation? No thanks," he simply said and walked right out of Kazekage's office, heaving his breakfast into the nearest toilet bowl, shaking. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, praying with every fibre of his being that he made the right decision.

The very first time he held the petite, little, slightly slimy crying creature in his arms─ after months of waiting, suffering, anticipating, imagining, praying, cursing Sasuke─ Naruto's breath got caught in his throat. He had never ever set his eyes on a creature more beautiful, more mesmerizing, more... _pure_ than the one in his arms. He was so small, so breakable, wailing his lungs out. His face was all scrunched up and violently scarlet─ for a moment, Naruto's heart stopped, fearing the child might burst a lung. Then, in an instant, he stopped. He just stopped. Naruto worriedly brought the baby closer to his chest, the scarlet hue fading to a softer pink. He had a little tuft of slimy black hair on his head. He lazily opened his eyes, revealing such intense dark staring right back at him, curiously. Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"He's going to be a heartbreaker," Sakura whispered in his ear.

Naruto just stared at his little baby boy, who calmly stared back at him. He was a father. A father. In that second, he knew that despite his child being the unfortunate spitting image of the man he liked to blame for ruining his life, despite his ambivalent feelings for Sasuke, he fiercely loved this little human. A fierceness Naruto hadn't been expecting.

But as Naruto soon quickly discovered, loving your child was the easy part. Adequately raising him, let alone keeping him alive for the first few years of his life, was a whole other ball game.

He couldn't even change a diaper or make formula, he didn't know if the sounds Shun made were normal, if babies were supposed to be terrible at sleeping at night, he didn't know what constituted as baby hazard, what Shun wanted when he wailed and wailed and wailed. When Shun was sleeping, Naruto freaked out over his baby sleeping so much. (_"Does he have brain damage? Is he in a coma? WHY IS STILL SLEEPING, SAI?"_) When Shun was awake, Naruto agonized over every move he made.

Sakura had just laughed aloud when she opened the door to her temporary flat one early morning and was greeted by a very dishevelled and sleep-deprived Naruto who was awkwardly holding a shrieking Shun.

"Oh my," Sakura muttered in between fits of giggle. "Hello there," she said, trying to compose herself in the face of such hopelessness.

"Take him. Just take him," Naruto pleaded, his voice cracking. He thrust the sobbing infant to Sakura's bosom.

She quickly grabbed the child into her arms before Naruto dropped him and soothingly rocked him back and forth, while biting her lower lip to keep from chortling. The baby soon hushed and Naruto longingly stared at the now calm little monster, his eyes wild.

"I can't do this, Sakura. I can't do this! I'm just not equipped for this job," Naruto whined as he pushed past Sakura, uninvited and plopped down on her couch. He hung his head in his arms, frustrated.

"Equipped?" Sakura asked, with a dangerous tone, as she closed the door and sat on the coffee table in front of her hysterical friend. Shun's breathing had slowed down and his eyes lazily fluttered shut. Sakura kissed the top of his head.

"You know what I mean! Don't start with the feminist shit now," Naruto moaned, looking up at her, his eyes bloodshot with fatigue.

"Careful, Blondie," she muttered, glaring at him.

"I just mean I am not meant to do this! I just... I can't, okay? I just can't!"

"Naruto you're going to wake the entire neighbourhood. These are very thin walls. I'll make tea," Sakura declared as she got up, deciding it was best if she took the dozing baby away from Naruto's sight for a bit.

"What are you doing here?" suddenly asked a deep voice.

Naruto looked up, seeing Sai come out of the bathroom in the hallway.

"What are _you _doing here? It's three in the morning!" Naruto exclaimed, bewildered.

"Boning Sakura, obviously," Sai casually answered.

Naruto shot him a horrified expression, his mouth hanging open. He stared, his brain unable to compute the information. Then, Sai proceeded to produce an odd succession of rapid inhalation, which normal people might call a laugh. Naruto thought it sounded more like perishing hyenas than a laugh.

"I couldn't say that with a straight face," Sai apologized, smiling creepily.

"You fuckwads should be aware that I can chop your dicks off by barely moving a muscle," Sakura hissed in a gut-churning tone, narrowing her eyes to deathly slits, when she came back from putting the kettle on the stove.

"That wouldn't be a problem for Naruto," Sai quipped airily, causing Naruto to throw him a murderous look.

"Sai's bathroom is non-functional, so he's mooching off of mine. Don't get any ideas," she chided Naruto, before extending her arms to Sai. "Take him," she ordered.

"Yo, Shun," Sai greeted, scooping the child into his arms. Shun mewed, almost as if returning the greeting, before snuggling in his arms, eyes closed shut.

Sai sniffed and turned his head towards Naruto.

"Dickless, you smell like shit," he dead-panned.

"I wasn't going to say anything, seeing how distressed you were and everything, but... wow," Sakura added, covering her nose with the back of her hand, her face breaking into a smile.

"Not shit," Naruto mumbled, covering his face with his hands.

"Sorry, what was that?" Sai asked, furrowing his brows.

"It's not shit, it's urine," Naruto answered, louder, his face red with embarrassment.

"Oh ho ho!" Sai rocked the sleeping child in his arms, happily, "Shunny, that's my boy!"

Naruto just glared, unamused.

"Why is it that even _he_ is better with my child than I am?" Naruto pouted, despair written all over his face.

"What do you mean, _even_ me?" Sai questioned, raising an eyebrow, as he continued rocking the peaceful child.

"Naruto," Sakura interjected, sitting back down on the table. "Naruto, look at me," she gently lifted his chin, but he just averted his eyes. "Hey, stop that," she softly chided with the gentleness of a dove. "You'll learn," she stated, caressing his cheek with her right hand. She said it with such absolute faith, Naruto stared in disbelief.

How can she be _so_ sure, when he himself had no idea how he would ever manage to raise his spawn, let alone keep Shun from dying of hunger and his diaper from exploding of overshitting.

"I'm not cut out for this, Sakura," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm not cut out─"

"Yes, you are. People aren't born parents. They learn."

"Some with more facilities than others," Sai added, smirking at the child in his arms.

Naruto threw him a withering glare and Sakura proceeded to elbow Sai in the gut.

"Hey! Holding a baby here!" Sai hauled the child above his head, away from Sakura's destructive force.

Sakura rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to a very sulking Naruto.

"Naruto, remember what we told you when you first learned of your pregnancy?" she asked, coaxing him back to the present. He tilted his head to the side, trying to recall. "You're not in this alone, stupid," she smiled, lightly hitting him on the head in a playful manner. "We'll help you learn, okay? We'll help you."

"What do you know about babies?" Naruto asked, dubious. Although he knew that she meant well, Naruto wasn't sure how much of it she sincerely meant and how much of it was just said as a placebo.

"Plenty. Blondie, I'm a medic nin," she crossed her arms on her bosom and puffed up her chest like a peacock unravelling its tail, reeking with confidence.

"I can't ask that of you," Naruto huffed, rolling his eyes dismissively. "You guys have lives! You came to Suna with me, you stuck by my side while I popped _that_ out," he muttered, glaring at his adorable, sleeping baby.

"Don't be mean. Shun is gorgeous," Sai defended, staring at the pretty baby in his arms.

"His calm is misleading. He's a raging monster when he's alone with me." Naruto spat out, bitter at how well his child behaved when he was in Sai's arms. _Sai, _of all people!

"Anyways, my point is," Naruto began, getting back on track, "I couldn't have survived these last eight months without you guys. I really couldn't have. I mean it," he emphasized, looking up, his blue eyes shimmering with the brilliant tint of sincerity.

Sai awkwardly cleared his throat, refusing to look at Naruto. In typical guy fashion, Sai wasn't all too comfortable with sincere declarations of affection. Sakura, on the other hand, soothingly rubbed Naruto's shoulders.

"But Shun is my responsibility," Naruto continued, without waiting for an answer. He didn't need anything in return anyways. He didn't need to hear them reciprocate his feelings, he knew that if they spent all this time by his side, it was because they cared. He just needed to articulate his appreciation for them. He needed them to know how much it meant to him. "You can't put your life on hold for me."

"Dickless, we love you and all," Sai mumbled, finally tearing his gaze away from the baby, "but the last thing we'd do is sacrifice our entire lives to take care of this, albeit adorable, booger fountain."

"What Sai is trying to say," Sakura quickly added through clenched teeth, whipping back to stare at her royally inarticulate friend with wide eyes, "we can stay a few more months until you get the hang of things.:

"But─" Naruto began to protest.

"Naruto, shut up," Sakura moaned, exasperated. "This is what _we_ want, okay? Get this through your thick, luscious mop of blonde. We want to be here, we want to help, we want to be by your side."

Just at that moment, Shun made a gurgling noise, before he yawned and resettled himself in Sai's arms.

"And clearly, Shun wants us here too," Sai concluded. He stared at the baby a bit longer, thoughtfully. "You know, I feel like I'm holding Sasuke-sensei in my arms─ Sasuke-sensei who underwent some weird time-reversing jutsu, ne?"

Naruto grimaced at the comment and Sakura jabbed a finger in Sai's face.

"Don't you ever mention that dirty fucktard's name in my presence," she hissed, the killing intent oozing out of her.

"Wait, what?" Naruto exclaimed, utterly confused, "I thought you were hopelessly in lust with him!"

Sakura whipped back to Naruto and viciously glared at him. He put his arms up defensively, not in the mood to incur her terrifying wrath.

"Let's just say I saw the ugliness beneath his beastly package," she muttered, through clenched teeth.

Naruto slowly blinked, with a blank expression painted on his features.

"That sounds... dirty," he carefully offered, after a moment of silence.

"It sounds like he has some venereal disease on the underside of his peen," Sai seamlessly completed, throwing a creepy smirk her way.

"He does," Sakura replied, her face stone serious, "It's called Douchebaggery."

Sai cracked a smile, while Naruto, for the first time in ages, guffawed out loud, putting a hand in front of his mouth to not wake his devilish child. Sakura fondly beamed at her best friend. The man was gorgeous when he smiled.

The whistling of the kettle broke Sakura out of her stupor. She promptly got up and poked Naruto in the forehead.

"Now, kindly take a shower. You're ruining the furniture."

Naruto nodded and slowly got up. As he made his way to the bathroom, he turned back, coaxing a sexy smile.

"So Sakura," he purred in a husky tone, "You find my hair _luscious_?" he moaned, obscenely running his hands in his hair and gyrating his hips.

A tissue box hit him square in the face. The force would've broken a normal man's nose.

Sakura had stayed four more months, by that time Naruto had become somewhat of a self-proclaimed diaper-formula-fussybaby expert. He had still begged Sakura to stay as the day of her departure approached, terrified of not being able to manage without her. But ultimately, he knew that he had to let her go. Sakura didn't belong in Suna, she belonged in Konoha, where she would continue her apprenticeship under bacchanal and blossom into the top ANBU medic nin.

With every passing day, he saw more and more of Sasuke in his baby boy. It was disconcerting.

When Sasuke finally showed up at his doorstep in Suna, Naruto's heart abruptly stopped. He was certain the moment Sasuke would lay his eyes on their little boy, he would know that Shun was his. How could he not notice the frightening resemblance? Naruto couldn't tear his eyes away. The way Sasuke sat down, the way he drank his tea with that subtle air of superiority, the way his long lashes teasingly fanned his cheekbones when he blinked, the elegant, relaxed steps, that same ridiculously infuriating smirk... they were all, _all_ of it in Shun. Shun, Shun, ShunSasukeSasukeShunSasuShun. There was so much, too much of Sasuke in Shun, it was uncanny.

That day, when Kakashi and Sasuke were sitting in his dilapidated, crummy little condo, when Sasuke's large, dark, dark eyes─ so much like Shun's, but devoid of his mirth and innocence─ met his, Naruto held his breath. For the very first time, it struck Naruto that once upon a time, Sasuke must have been a carefree, happy little boy like his Shunny. Once upon a time, Sasuke must have had Shun's eyes.

Naruto didn't know much about Sasuke's history, but everyone in Konoha was aware of the Uchiha clan massacre. With a deep, sinking feeling of dread, it occurred to Naruto how easily someone could snatch his son's eyes, just like Sasuke's eyes were snatched from him. It occurred to him how Shun could easily grow up to be a man so full of anger and hatred that he'd be incapable of forming lasting relationships with those about him.

Naruto had looked away, his heart heavy.

The sudden onslaught of despairing sadness that wafted over him, Naruto wasn't expecting it.

It made Sasuke that much more human.

Now, he leaned back on his chair, placing his arms on the supports and sighed. He turned his chair to the wall of Hokages─ picture frame after picture frame of these monumental figures of Konoha's history. It was strange to think that soon his face would be joining them─ all so stern and serene, powerful, yet inviting.

He had always wanted to be Hokage, just never at the expense of baachan's health. She was... She was his family, and now she lay comatose with her fate hanging by mere threads.

He heaved another sigh and looked up at the ceiling.

What a fucked-up life, he led.

He slowly closed his eyes, resolute.

He was here now, and he was going to be the damn best Hokage he can be. He owed it to baachan, who had enough faith in him to choose him as her successor. He owed it to Gaara, who spent the last years teaching him the ropes. He owed it to Sai and Sakura, who stayed by his side through all the years of turmoil. He owed it to himself to honour his dream. But most of all, he owed it to his precious babies, to get his life in order and exemplify just where one can land with hard work.

He was Naruto-fucking-Uzumaki.  
He survived childbirth. Twice.  
He could fucking do anything.

XXX

His life was one helluva fucked-up piece of shit.

That was the first thought that ran through Sasuke's head as he firmly pinned the panting boy to the tree.

Crimson red eyes with a single tomoe, slowly spinning with fear. Quivering eyes.

Sharingan─ and by the looks of it, newly acquired.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

This was so fucking... fucked-up.

The boy squirmed underneath his arms. The little bugger was still trying to fight despite the flagrant difference in level. It was an obvious lost battle. If Sasuke weren't _reeling_ from the implication of the boy's crimson revelation, he might have felt an iota of pride and respect for the boy's cajones.

"L-let go of me!" the boy squeaked, trying to bring his arms up to fend Sasuke off to no avail. "My otousan is going to hear about this! And my chichiue! My chichiue's the new Hokage, he's going to beat you to a bloody pulp!" the short boy wheezed out, his face flushing from the exertion of speaking. He tried to glare with his quivering, scarlet eyes, but the veneer of bravado quickly wore off in the face of Sasuke's overpowering chakra. Sasuke was assaulted by the flagrant fear in the child's eyes.

Sasuke rubbed his free hand over his face, gritting his teeth.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Think, Sasuke. Think.

"Did you hear me?" the brat spat out, insolently. "My chichiue is the Hokage! Do you know what that means? He's the bad-assest ninja in the whole _fucking_ village."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at the child's swearing. Normally, the idea of a little shrimp delusionally boasting about Uzumaki's ability to kick his ass and using cuss words for dramatic effect would have greatly amused him. Of course, 'normally' didn't include finding out said brat magically inherited your clan's kekkei genkai.

The boy tried to kick his legs to Sasuke's crotch, but his limbs failed to move. He desperately tried to hide his anguish. This man, he wasn't just pinning him to the tree, he was doing something else... some weird jutsu that paralysed his limbs. Shun was starting to get frightened and it showed. It was dawning on him just how seriously this man could hurt him.

"Kid, shut the fuck up," Sasuke hissed, bringing his Mangekyou close to the child's reddened, trembling face.

"You're going to pay for this! You're going to─ "

_Snap_.

Sasuke swiftly chopped down on the pressure point on the side of the boy's neck, right under his ear and effortlessly caught the limp body in his arms.

"Finally, you shut up," Sasuke breathed, shaking his head, as he sank to the ground

That obnoxious loudmouth of his was definitely something the kid inherited from Uzumaki.

Sasuke stared at the tiny body collapsed in his lap. This couldn't be happening. This just could not be happening. His eyes trailed up to the child's face, studying the boy's handsome features.

The dark hair, the almost translucent pale skin (that while sickly on most people always managed to give an ethereal glow to his clansmen). There was no fucking doubt about it. The kid was an Uchiha. Fuck.

When years ago (a lifetime ago, really), his brot... that _psychopath_, Uchiha Itachi reappeared in his life, declaring that they need to talk, Sasuke's world shattered. All the things Itachi divulged to him that day─ from conspiracies, to demon vessels, from the Prophetic Child to making ridiculous promises─ Sasuke didn't know whether to burst out laughing in Itachi's psychotic face or gauge his eyes out.

"_Promise me you'll watch over the demon vessel. Do you hear me, otouto? Watch over him."_

The bastard. That slaughtering _monster_.

Sasuke clenched his fists and howled out an angry cry.

_Stop it. Compose yourself._

He forcibly exhaled through his nose. He rubbed his temples with one hand, the other awkwardly holding the child's unconscious body. _Empty your mind of Itachi. Compose yourself_.

But then, before departing on their Uzumaki retrieval mission, Kakashi had pulled him aside.

"There is something you must know," Kakashi had said casually. Always so infuriatingly casually.

He had continued his explanation in that lazy drawl of his, without much inflection. It was as if it were no big deal that Akatsuki had gotten a hold of his subordinate and performed the most vile, unnatural jutsu Sasuke had ever heard of, like it was no big deal that two teenage boys had a child together, like it was no freaking big deal that a _man_ had given birth. Sasuke had stared at Kakashi, bewildered. Uzumaki Naruto had gotten pregnant. The sinking feeling of dread paralysing him into silence. It all started to make sense, the prophecy Itachi was sprouting about, Uzumaki Naruto's part to play... Sasuke was assailed by the helpless feeling of being unable to stop what Itachi had already well set in motion. _This couldn't be happening_, Sasuke had thought. A lesser man than Sasuke would have surely hurled the contents of his stomach onto the ground; it was a bit much to process. Thankfully, the journey to Suna had given him the time to regain a bit of composure, but he couldn't stop himself from staring at Naruto when they finally met after eight long years. Physically, he still looked very much like a normal man, Sasuke has mused. He couldn't wrap his head around just how those two brats came from inside him. It just wasn't... _human_, it wasn't natural. And he knew, he _knew_ that it wasn't his stupid subordinate's fault. The blonde idiot probably didn't even know everything that was expected from him, he probably didn't even know that the path he was walking on had already been chosen long ago by other people. He surely didn't know of the things to come. Poor moron.

Sasuke looked down at the boy in his lap, dismayed. He carefully scooped the boy into his arms and lifted himself up. The boy. Uzumaki Naruto's child, an Uchiha. Sasuke's blood was boiling in his veins like molten lava ready to erupt and ravage the whole village.

This was all kinds of fucked up.

XXX

It wasn't hard for Sai to find the tent. It was set up right on the outskirts of the village. It was always far too humid here and there weren't any neighbouring villages in this direction, so nobody ever really came this way. However, it was close enough to Konoha that the trek to and fro only took about two hours. All in all, it was an ideal hideout, Sai mused as he shifted the sheets of the tent and entered Danzo's lair.

"My, so good to see your face," greeted the voice he had dreaded for so long, falling rusty on his ears.

Sai stared right in Danzo's eye, unafraid. He pulled out the crumbled piece of paper from his pocket, fury obvious in his brisk movements.

"You left this in my house," Sai bit out as greeting.

The man was sitting behind his desk, catering to some paperwork. He smiled crisply. So much attitude, the boy had. Danzo tsked.

"Seems like time has treated you well, yes?" Danzo remarked, barely sparing him a glance as he mulled over the sheets of paper in his hands. "You look more like your mother everyday," he offhandedly commented, not taking much interest in what Sai had to say.

"_Father_," Sai hissed through gritted teeth, "you left this in my house."

Danzo put down the papers on his desk, a small, dirty little smile slipping on his thin, cracked lips.

"Well congratulations were in order," he casually explained.

"In _my _house!" Sai blurted out, clenching his fists in an effort to tame the roaring anger within, "Where my children live. Anyone could have seen this. How can you be so careless? I would have come to see you anyways, you needn't send me this stupid, suspicious message."

Danzo cocked an eyebrow, amused. While his son was irritatingly good at keeping his features unreadable, his choice of words always gave away his entire facade. _Such a foolish boy_.

"Possessive, are we, son? They aren't yours."

But when Sai averted his eyes and slightly bowed his head in hesitation, Danzo growled, not missing a beat.

"They aren't yours," he repeated carefully, audibly breathing through his nose, alert. This time there was with a hint of questioning uncertainty at the end, like it was more of a question than a statement.

Sai tentatively licked his lips. A moment felt like an eternity. Danzo recognized the calculating look on his son's features. He was weighing his options.

"The little girl is," he finally said, his head still bowed.

Danzo angry slammed his fist on the table, knocking off the papers to the ground.

"You... you _fucked_ that vile demon boy?" he bellowed loudly, Sai could almost hear Danzo's veins popping. "Have you no shame? No ounce of self-control? No restraint whatsoever to control your twisted, hedonistic urges? Are you some rabid horndog? Some possessed _demonfucker_?" Danzo spat out the tirade, sneering bitterly at his son. This thing that was so unfortunately his son. "You lowered yourself to fucking that piece of shit? Are they no whores in Suna? You couldn't get off with them?" Danzo demanded, his features twisted ugly in his sheer wrath.

But Sai didn't move a muscle, bowed respectfully still like a statue. He knew that when his father got into rages like these, the best thing to do was to be completely silent.

Danzo grunted, throwing his desk at him with all the strength he could muster, Sai quickly dodged the blow, before bowing once more.

"Don't tell me," Danzo began, laughing derisively. His laugh was so dry, it sucked the air out of the room. Sai swallowed with difficulty, closing his eyes, aware of what was to come. "Don't tell me, you sick, weak cunt, that you _fell_ for the demon?" he asked, spitting out his words, disgusted.

"Of course not," Sai calmly answered, though his insides felt electrocuted, "He came onto me. I couldn't reject his advances. If I did, he would suspect something. It was for my cover," Sai quickly explained, finally lifting his head.

Danzo wordlessly studied his son. He then rubbed his forehead, clenching his eyes shut.

"I have never been so disappointed in anyone in my life," the cruel words, he spoke them calmly.

"Father, it was for my cover," Sai reiterated, a hint of pleading painting his tone. "It was just a performance to keep him blind and lovestruck. You told me to stay by his side no matter what. I stayed. I respected the mission," he continued, attempting to defend his actions.

Danzo turned to his son. Sai's face was blank, as always, but the slight quiver of panic was unmistakable.

"Tsunade is gone," Danzo eventually said after a heavy silence, unexpectedly changing the subject.

"Yes, they'll instate Naruto as Rokudaime. I trust that was your work?" Sai asked, careful to insert an edge of admiration in his voice.

"Those Uchihas, they think they are oh so high and mighty, they think they reign above us all with their damned Sharingans. But they're so foolishly easy to manipulate," Danzo reminisced, an unpleasant smile set on his features, "It really didn't take much for the Uchiha brat to vouch for the demon boy at the council meeting. And you know how the council are, one word from the Uchiha, and they're in awe."

Sai mutely nodded, still on guard, ready for his father's attack. He knew very well that his breeding a child with Naruto was not a forgiven matter.

"How is the spawn?" Danzo asked, eerily calm.

"The boy?" Sai hesitated.

"Who else?" the old man rolled his visible eye, irritated at his son's incompetence.

"Good," Sai slowly answered. "Healthy. Strong. Are you sure Shun is the one? He's a bit short for his age," Sai mused aloud.

"Yes, yes, he is the one," Danzo waved his hand dismissively. "He's the only one." Then, a strange, cruel grin appeared. "Why do you ask? Worried it might be your little mistake?"

"She's your granddaughter," Sai angrily defended before he could stop himself.

"She's a mistake, you stupid boy," Danzo thundered, dangerously narrowing his eye. "An abomination, that's what she is."

"She's my daughter," Sai hissed, raising his fists in anger. But before he could make a move, Danzo appeared before him and slapped him so hard, he nearly lost his balance.

"She is a filthy demon spawn!" Danzo viciously spat, " And no, it's not her. You're not special, boy. You're not the one the Prophecy described. The Prophecy described an Uchiha. It's the boy. Shun, was it? He's the Uchiha's son."

Danzo stared down at his scarlet-marked son, who miserably glared up at him.

"You don't respect me boy," Danzo whispered, saddened. "Soon, you will though. Soon, son, I'll have everyone's respect."

XXX

Naruto looked up from the Hokage's desk in surprise. A whirlwind flashed before him─ so fast, it made his head spin. Before the figures even solidified, Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, instantly recognizing the chakra signatures. The hair on the back of his neck were erect. _No, _Naruto thought as his stomach began churning. _No_, he thought─ Sasuke stood in his office, fury oozing off of his skin, as he held Naruto's little boy in his arms.

_No_.

Naruto thumped his hand flat on his chest, trying to allay his furiously beating heart.

_No._

"S-Sasuke?" he asked, a bit dazed, the cobwebs in his brain clogging his sense of perception. Then, Naruto realized just who was in his arms. "Shun!" Naruto cried out, his eyes wide. "What are you doing with my s─"

"How old is he?" Sasuke hissed, the acid rolling off his tongue, ready to fry Naruto's flesh.

Naruto carefully studied the situation, his heart beating a mile a minute. _Calm_, _stay calm_. He breathed through his nose. _Maybe it's not as bad as you're imagining_. Why was Sasuke asking him this? Sasuke looked like he was on the verge of breaking into a killing spree. Shun's body was completely limp, Naruto worriedly noted. Did he hurt him?

"What?" Naruto dumbly replied, his eyes transfixed on his son.

"How. Old. Is. He?" Sasuke reiterated in a clipped tone, condescendingly emphasizing each word. "Are you a complete retard? Can you not even do simple math?"

Naruto frowned, taken aback by the sudden whiplash of animosity. At the hospital just a mere hours ago, Sasuke and he had been on good terms. What happened since?

"Why are you asking me this?" Naruto demanded, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's wrong with my son?"

But Sasuke was in no mood to play twenty questions. He carelessly threw the boy on the sofa, Chidori buzzing in his left hand, ready to pounce. Naruto watched the careless treatment of his son, horrified. He didn't miss a beat, instantly producing a clone and turning his chakra into a splendid Rasenshuriken, his blue eyes blazing with the overprotective fiery of a thousand suns.

"What did you do to my son, teme?" he howled, fangs protruding.

"How old is he?" Sasuke caustically repeated, the enmity emanating from his pores. He lunged at Naruto, who swiftly dodged. In a flash, Naruto appeared by his son's side. If Sasuke hadn't been otherwise preoccupied, he might have been impressed at his student's speed.

Naruto crouched beside his unconscious boy, stroking the jet-black bangs out of his forehead.

"What did you do?" Naruto hissed in an almost animalistic voice, whipping back to glare at the infuriated Sasuke.

"Answer," his black-haired sensei growled, his Chidori deafeningly chirping in a promise of agony.

Naruto looked down to his precious baby boy, gently caressing him. He carefully swallowed, his eyes never leaving Shun's serene features.

"Seven years old," he whispered finally, the heavy feeling of doom crawling down his throat

Sasuke took a step back, his Chidori evanescing. His world spinning so fast, the wind was knocked right out of him. _Seven years_, Sasuke repeated in his mind, the sinking feeling in his chest of drowning like a corpse thrown to sea. Seven years. Well, the math added up. _So the Uchiha boy, he's not Itachi's... _Sasuke's eyes widened. Even though he knew from the moment the kid glared up at him with his awakened Sharingan that this could be a possibility, he never really considered that he could be the father. Fuck. He was the boy's _father_. Sasuke's insides were paralyzed still.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto, the murderous intent leaking through his every pore. His dark eyes were so full of palpable hatred, Naruto's blood ran cold.

"Say, _Hokage-sama_," Sasuke mockingly spat out the title, "when were you planning on telling me I have a son?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Wide clear, blue eyes quivered as Naruto tried to maintain some semblance of composure. _No. No. No. Please God, no_. Naruto couldn't keep his hands from shaking, and before he knew what happened, Sasuke had him forcibly pinned to the wall.

"When?" Sasuke growled, squeezing the air out of Naruto's throat. He gasped, trying to pry the Uchiha's hand off of his windpipe.

"H-how...?" Naruto breathed out, flabbergasted.

"What you thought you could flaunt him in plain sight, right under my nose and I wouldn't recognize my own child? I wouldn't recognize the Sharingan in his eyes?" Sasuke laughed drily, the sound so rough, it could sand one's eardrums. Naruto's insides were frozen rigid, panic clawing its way up his throat. _No, no, no! _

"S-Sharingan?" Naruto closed his eyes, forcing the chakra in his legs and power-kicked Sasuke in the skin, freeing himself. Sasuke flew to the end of the office.

Naruto crouched to the floor, coughing.

"No, impossible! He's only seven," he muttered desperately, almost as if pleading Sasuke to tell him this is all a joke, tell him that he was mistaken, tell him that he's not going to snatch his son away from him.

Sasuke threw him an annoyed look as he got to his feet. He sneered, the Mangekyou glistening in his eyes, giving him a deranged look.

"You dare attempt to raise an _Uchiha_ with your filthy ignorance? You don't even know the first thing about the Sharingan, let alone when it manifests itself, and you dare to raise an Uchiha?" he roared, clenching his fists, the veins in his neck pulsating violently.

"I know that yours did not come out at seven," Naruto breathed, standing up and dusting off his pants.

"You know nothing. Absolutely nothing," Sasuke muttered in disbelief. "You know _nothing_ about the Sharingan, nothing about being an Uchiha. You're just an orphan boy who wanted to play house and stole _my_ child for your sad little experiment."," Sasuke's voice cracked and Naruto winced from the vicious attack.

Naruto scoffed, shaking his head. He couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't believe that Sasuke of all people was bringing up his orphan childhood and using it against him. He never thought Sasuke could stoop so low.

"Look, Sasuke," Naruto began, forcibly breathing through his nose, "I know you're upset but─"

"Upset? Upset? _Upset?_" Sasuke let out a hollow, piercing laugh. "Upset is what I am when insolent brats puke on my boots. Upset is what I am when the Hokage assigns me stupid, lowly missions. Upset is what I am when I am forced to accept incompetent fools into the ranks of ANBU. This, here, is me enraged, Uzumaki. This, here, is me _loathing_ you with ever inch of my being. I promise you, Uzumaki Naruto, I will make you pay for what you've done until my dying breath. And you better believe that I'll find some way to make your life a living Hell, even from the grave," Sasuke contemptuously hissed, in a deceptively calm tone, but his words were scythes honed with the sweet promise of misery and agony.

Naruto clicked his tongue, looking away, not wanting to show Sasuke the bruises inflicted by his sharp words. What had he expected? Of course this is how a scorned Uchiha would react. _Be reasonable, he just found out_. Naruto breathed, trying to still his heart.

"Sasuke, I can explain," Naruto whispered, trying once again to pacify him, "Just let me explain."

"Explain?" Sasuke asked, cocking an arched eyebrow, the fury buzzing underneath his skin about to implode, "Explain how you remorselessly robbed me of the most important thing to a man? You robbed me of seven years of my child's life. My child, my _family_," he growled, his scarlet eyes murderous.

"Sasuke, I didn't mean to─" Naruto yelled pleadingly, shocked by the singe of Sasuke's ire. Of the times he did imagine Sasuke finding out about Shun, never did he anticipate so much sheer hatred directed his way, never did he think that Sasuke would look at him with such savage, fiery angry eyes. His chakra was so volatile, if Naruto were a weaker man, it would swallow him whole and scald hm to the bones. He wrapped his arms around Shun's body, lending his chakra to protect him from Sasuke's eruptive rage.

"All of you think you can just take what is rightfully mine and I'll just stand there and watch. All of you think I'll just stand like some pathetic invalid and watch as you take my family from me," Sasuke continued bitterly, on the verge of madness.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, confused.

Then, he spoke carefully, but firmly, "Sasuke, I'm not Itachi."

But the words were like fuel to the fire of Sasuke's wrath. He swiftly whipped his head up, an ugly sneer contorting his features.

"No, you're worse," the wicked words slipped right off his tongue like liquid acid, " You're just some filth on the street who stupidly put his paws on an Uchiha. You thought there wouldn't be any consequences to taking an Uchiha?"

Naruto's eyes blazed crimson, his chakra seeping dangerously red. Filth? He was _filth_? For putting his _paws_ on an Uchiha? Naruto growled. Shun was first and foremost Naruto's son! His son, not some piece of Uchiha property.

"You Uchihas think you're God's gift to Earth. You think you're so holy and pure, but where are they all now?" Naruto taunted, his chakra pushing back on Sasuke's. "Uchihas are nothing but savages, nothing but power-hungry murderers."

"Don't speak about my family as if you know them!" Sasuke raged, his eyes insane.

"Don't speak about my son as if you own him," Naruto retorted, glaring right back at his sensei, unafraid. He won't let his son slip in the hands of this maniac.

Sasuke threw a look back to the slumbering boy. He didn't hit the boy too hard, so he would be awakening soon. The boy. His _son_. _His_ son. Sasuke drew a shuddering breath, wiping his face with his hand. Arrangements had to be made. _Stop this, _he told himself with much difficulty. This was going nowhere.

He impassively stared at the man defensively crouched over his son. His student. His teammate. The father of his child. It took every ounce of self-control to not rip his lungs apart. He lied to him. All these years, Naruto lied. He lied.

"We're getting married," Sasuke calmly delivered his killing blow, steadying his breath.

"I... what? Who?" Naruto dumbly blurted out, furrowing his eyebrows. The onslaught of fury was suddenly replaced with complete confusion.

"You and I," Sasuke gritted out, annoyed. He rolled his eyes, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Naruto shook his head, running his hand through the thick spikes of blonde. He didn't know if this was some sick, perverse joke, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You are insane," Naruto hollowly muttered, still shaking his head. "You are completely mental. If you think I'm ever marrying a psychopath..."

"It's funny how you believe you have a choice in the matter," Sasuke interrupted, crossing his arms across his chest, his face devoid of any emotion.

"You... you cannot force me to marry you," Naruto cried out, his eyes wide. He wanted to rip his hair off. This had to be some nightmare? This couldn't be reality. Sasuke could not have just raged on about not being told about his son only to be _proposing_ to him. This couldn't be real. He needed to be pinched. He rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a migraine creeping.

"Oh, trust me, I have _no_ issue whatsoever with your refusal. I'll just be taking _my_ son then," Sasuke drawled out casually, before marching towards the sofa.

Naruto, panicked, leaped ahead of Sasuke, completely blocking Shun from his view.

"I won't let you!" Naruto yelled hopelessly. "That's kidnapping. I'll stop you, I'll get the council to stop you," he vowed, his eyes steeled with determination. He earnestly looked at Sasuke, his blue, blue eyes pleading. He couldn't figure out what Sasuke's game plan was; what was he trying to do? He knew deep down Sasuke cared for him, Sasuke _cared_, he had to! He even came to see him at the hospital when he was visiting baachan. His sapphire eyes shimmered with the griping fear of a parent of the verge of losing his baby. If only he could get through to Sasuke, if only he could explain... but Sasuke's eyes were cold, cold and furious, and hungry for revenge. Reason won't get through to those eyes.

Sasuke let out a condescending, derisive laugh that made Naruto's insides knot painfully, he almost doubled over.

"Because you think the council will side with you?" the acerbic amusement in his voice only fuelled Naruto's tormenting fears.

"I'm the newly appointed Hokage," he replied with a veneer of confidence slabbed on the tiny-veiled underlying canyon of insecurity. Fear. Dread. _No, don't take my son, no_.

"And I'm an _Uchiha_," Sasuke smiled brashly, his white teeth glistening in that same threatening fashion Kyuubi exposed his pearly whites. "Who do you think carries more weight here?"

"No, that means nothing! That─" Naruto began despairingly, but he couldn't tame the fear birthing in his heart at the very real possibility of losing his son. He clenched his fists and prayed. _No, please_!

"Oh, you stupid little boy. Don't you know that the council will do _everything_ possible to keep me and the precious Sharingan eyes the property of Konoha? Don't you know they'll do _anything_ to keep me in this village, including ripping my son away from the Hokage's clutches. Besides, he's an Uchiha. A very special Uchiha if his kekkai gentai manifested at the age of seven. The council knows that he needs to be properly trained underneath my tutelage. What do you think the village cares more about─ maintaining family unity or building a powerful resource?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at his sensei, at this _monster_ who stood before him.

He was right. He was _so_ right.

Of course, Naruto knew that. Of course, he knew that if it came down to choosing sides, the council would gladly take his son away from him and give him to Sasuke, anything to not incur Uchiha's wrath, anything to not waste precious resources in having to hunt Sasuke down if he abandons the village should they refuse to give him his son. Of course they would pick an Uchiha, never mind their own Hokage's feelings, never mind the psychological impacts on his son.

"Punish me if you hate me so much," Naruto muttered, drained to the core, his eyes hooded by blonde bangs. "Punish me, if you're so angry, but don't do this to my son!"

"_Our_," Sasuke growled angrily, "Our son. Not yours."

"Please don't do this to Shun," Naruto begged, "He's just a little boy. He is the sweetest kid. Please don't turn his world upside down."

"That, _darling_," he spat the sickeningly affectionate term as if it were something vile, "was a fate you sealed the moment you chose to run away from Konoha, like a disgraceful coward."

"You're going to rip him away from all those who love him, from everything he knows. Y-you're, my God, Sasuke! You're a fucking monster! How can you do this to a child? To your own son?" Naruto demanded, shaking his head in perplexity. Had he read Sasuke all wrong? Was he mistaken when he thought Sasuke was a decent man? When he thought he should give Sasuke a chance? He could feel his entire world tilting upside down, hanging by a mere thread.

"Then we get married," Sasuke retorted, annoyed by the blonde's penchant for dramatics.

"Why?" Naruto choked out, frowning.

"When we get married, I will instantly get full custody of both your kids, full rights to my son, full rights to _you_. Everything you own is mine. Everything you have is mine. And I will get to keep a watchful eye on you, make sure you don't run away with what's mine, make sure you don't poison my son's head with your filth," Sasuke sneered, his offensive aura of superiority abrasive to the eyes. Naruto just stood, staring disbelieving. He was blindsided, he was caught off guard. Had he been prepared, he would've lied about his age. He should have lied. Sasuke was posing him an ultimatum and Naruto couldn't think, the fear of losing his son engulfing him, making his lose reason.

So that's why he wanted a marriage, so that he could put a leash on Naruto and everything he had, including Chinatsu, so that Naruto would become just another Uchiha property. Naruto would become Sasuke's to control, under perpetual treat of having Shun taken away from him if disobeyed. A lifetime of misery, that's what Sasuke was aiming for.

"If I agree, then what about Sai?" Naruto slowly asked, his tone hollow, drained empty.

"He's out of the picture."

"He is Shun's father!" Naruto yelled, the rage seeping back into him.

Sasuke's crimson eyes were spinning uncontrollably.

"Don't ever utter such a heinous thing!" he boomed, his Mangekyou directed at Naruto, promising a world of agony

"He is the only other father Shun has ever known. Y-you can't separate Sai from him!" Naruto tried to reason, furiously running his hand through his hair.

"So, you're choosing Sai over our child, is that it?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, mockingly.

"What?" Naruto screamed, incredulous.

"Because if you want to keep Sai in your bed oh so badly, you're free to do so, but I take my son and you lose him forever," Sasuke calmly explained, a cruel smile tantalizing on his lips.

Naruto's world was sinking, Naruto's world was drowning. His eyes focused on that cruel smile and he shut his eyes close, consternated. _No_, _no. _So cutting his best friend, the father of his children out of his life, that was part of Sasuke's game plan of control too, huh?

"He'll hate you, Sasuke," Naruto mumbled, his cerulean eyes frantic. "I promise you, if you rip Shun away from me, away from his family, he'll despise you for the rest of his life. He'll never forgive you."

"I can live with that," Sasuke honestly answered with a look so full of hatred and anger, Naruto had to look away, "The lifetime of misery you'll endure will be well worth it."

"What about my daughter?" Naruto quietly asked, defeated.

"When we get married, she'll be as my daughter. Naturally, she'll come along," Sasuke answered, a sick, sadistic slither of a smirk gracing his lips.

"She is Sai's," Naruto informed him, studying his reaction.

"So?" Sasuke replied, indifferent.

"So?" Naruto repeated, incredulous that it didn't affect him anymore than that, "She is Sai's daughter. He's a part of her life."

"Not anymore," his sensei offhandedly retorted, the wicked glee reflecting in his eyes, "Payback is a bitch, isn't it? He ran off to play father with _my_ child? He took _my_ son away from me? Well, now, we'll be even."

The cruelty on his face had such an ugly allure, Naruto couldn't believe this was the same man who convinced him to come back to Konoha.

"You're tearing apart the family of two little kids," Naruto howled, his voice cracking, "You're heartless, Uchiha Sasuke. You're fucking _soulless_!"

"Heartless? _Soulless_?" Sasuke repeated, disbelieving his ears. The somewhat tamed fury return full-fledged as his leaking chakra intensified, practically scalding. "Heartless would be taking my son and ripping him away from his father, from his sister. Heartless would be stealing your child and keeping him from the very first seven years of his life, stripping you of the opportunity to get to know him, to bond with him, to watch him grow, to be his father! _That _would be soulless," Sasuke breathed out, the ire in his words cutting to the ears. Naruto flinched from the cruel words laden with so much spite. "You better kiss the ground I walk on, Uzumaki Naruto. You should thank me for having such a generous heart. I'm allowing you and your brat girl to stay with my son for his sake. It's much more kindness than you deserve."

Then, in the blink of an eye, Sasuke charged at the sofa and, before Naruto could even react, he scooped up Shun and was at the windowsill.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking him?" Naruto blasted, quickly forming Kage Bunshins ready to attack.

"Making sure you don't so something stupid like try and hide him from me again. You know my conditions if you want him in your life," Sasuke spoke gravely, before disappearing into thin air.

Naruto stood watching after the _poofed_ smoke, a bit dazed.

He slowly sank down on the couch, clutching his chest, the area right above his frantically beating heart. He stared, but he couldn't see anything save for the darkness of his own despair.

XXX

Later that evening, when Sai walked into his darkened home, he was a bit surprised to find Naruto sitting alone in the kitchen, with his bags packed.

"Naruto?" he called out tentatively, opening the lights.

His flaxen-haired friend didn't react. He sat, staring dazedly at the small vase of flower adorning their plain table.

"He knows," he mumbled hollowly, the odd emptiness in his voice striking Sai.

He knows? Sai frowned, puzzled. Naruto slowly looked up at his friend, noting the confusion marring his pale features.

"He knows. Sasuke. He knows," Naruto repeated monotonously, licking his dry lips, his will forced out of him.

"Are you sure?" Sai quickly asked, "Because unless if he did some paternity test, we can just keep denying it and─"

"Our little boy awakened his Sharingan," Naruto supplied, his blue eyes locked onto Sai's.

"Wha...? Shunny? He has the Sharingan? He's just seven," Sai processed the information in wonderment.

"We raised a special little boy," Naruto said with a sad smile.

The cerulean eyes he knew so well were dulled with such unwavering sadness, Sai's insides churned unpleasantly. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that his worst nightmare was becoming a reality.

"Wait so... he knows," Sai repeated, his eyes widening when the implication of it all finally struck him. "Oh, fuck. Okay, right. You packed our bags. Yes, let's leave. We'll settle in some other village far away. Where are Chinatsu and Shun?" he asked, his mind working on overdrive.

"Sai," Naruto began softly, his eyes sad, so, so sad, "He asked me to marry him."

"What?" Sai interjected, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well not asked, more like demanded."

Sai surveyed his friend, uncertain. It didn't _seem_ like he was lying, but the whole thing was way too surreal.

"So what, the knowledge of his son awakened a sudden profound love for you?" he asked, incredulous.

"Sai, he wants to lawfully have full control over me, my finances, my relationships, my children and Shun. It's not a love thing," Naruto corrected him, and in that moment Sai thought that this couldn't be Naruto. It was a ghost, a corpse, a dead thing. This wasn't his vivacious best friend.

"Back up here," Sai said, putting his arms up in a blocking manner, "Your child_ren_, as in plural, as in... Chinatsu included?"

Naruto's acquiescing nod was barely perceptible, but Sai saw it nonetheless, the colour draining from his face.

"He is... he is stupid with rage, and he wants to make us pay," Naruto supplied, dead. He looked so dead.

"Well, we won't let him," Sai frantically responded, grabbing onto Naruto's shoulder. What was with him? Why was he so lifeless? He shook him. "These are our children! He can't just─"

"Sai, if I deny him, he's going to take our baby. He's going to take him from us and Chi is going to lose her big brother and nobody can stop him. Do you understand? Nobody can stop him."

"You're the fucking Hokage!" Sai thundered, enraged, "Public announcement will be made in a bit over a day! Of course we can stop him!"

"Being Hokage doesn't mean jackshit next to the wrath of a vengeful Uchiha," Naruto replied, the apathy in his tone infuriating Sai.

"No, no we can fight this," Sai feverishly shook his head, refusing to listen to such nonsense. He wanted to slap the apathy out of him.

"We'll lose, Sai," Naruto sighed, saddened, "They're going to side with him, they're going to take our son away from us, they'll say that he has to be trained under a Sharingan-user."

"Kakashi! Kakashi has the Sharingan. He can train Shun if that's all they care about," Sai desperately supplied.

"Kakashi has one Sharingan eye. Who do you think they'll favor? The Uchiha by birth, captain of ANBU? Or Kakashi who has obtained the eye through obscure means?" Naruto asked, gently removing Sai's hands from his shoulder. The action spoke volumes.

Sai just stared at him, unable to move an inch.

"Why does it sound like you've given up?" Sai began, wildly looking at his broken down partner, "Why aren't you willing to fight this? Why don't you want to fight this?" he screamed, on the verge of hysteria.

Naruto licked his lips and looked up at Sai. His eyes were _sad_, so, so overwhelmingly sad, Sai choked.

"The wedding already took place Sai," he delivered the atomic bomb in a cruelly gentle tone, "The marriage certificate has been signed."

Sai shook his head, his body trembling with fury. He would laugh if this wasn't all so tragic.

"I gave away eight years of my life to you," Sai brokenly bit out, "I gave away my _entire_ life to you and to our children. I went to the ends of the world with you when you were pregnant. When you were struggling with Shun, I stayed by your side. Even after Sakura left, I-I stayed by your side. I raised Shun as my own! I _love_ Shun as my own kid. And then we had Chinatsu. We were a family. I sacrificed _everything_, everything just to be with you..."

And then Sai looked straight at Naruto, the mountain of hurt in his eyes made Naruto bite his lower lip. He raised a hand to his mouth. The dark eyes quivered. Hurt. Scalded.

"And you don't even fight for me, you don't even fight for our family. You just cast me aside," Sai shook his head, laughing drily as put his hand over his eyes.

Naruto just sat, mute. He looked down at the table. The damage had been done and there was nothing left to say.

He heard Sai's careful, light steps that he knew so well disappear in the distance.

And then, "They were all right," Sai spoke from the door, his voice faint, but unmistakable, "You _are_ a demon, but it's not because of the Nine Tails inside you."

Naruto closed his eyes, willing the fucked-up nightmare to end.

_Bitch, I'm a pick the world up  
__And I'm a drop it on your fucking head  
__And I could die now, rebirth motherfucker  
__Hop up in my spaceship and leave Earth  
__Motherfucker I'm gone  
__I'm __**gone**_

* * *

**Right, so all you Naruto purists (oh what beauteous creatures, you are!) know that Sasuke first awakened his Sharingan after his clan massacre, at the age of seven. BUT, thanks to Itachi-chan's mindfuckery, he conveniently forgot the whole incident and later re-awakened it at the age of 11 (12?) during the battle with Haku.**

**For the sake of this story, let's just say that Sasugay only recalls awakening his Sharingan at the age of 11. COOL STORY? COOL STORY.**

**PLEASE HAVE CHOKLATTE ICE CREAM, KBAI.**


	12. No One Ever Said It Would Be This Hard

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, and my milkshake doesn't bring any boys to the yard. OH SAD DAY DDD:**

**This song was on repeat for _hours_ as I wrote this chapter. Especially for the second part.**

_Imagine you could __**tear **__the world apart,  
Lay it all out like a weather chart.  
Take your time 'cause you're __**up against space**__,  
__**Sweep up the tears**__running down your face._

_You** burn **__bright when you're left alone,  
__**Build up the speed**__ to bring you home.  
Turn off the lights and watch you __**glow**_

_At light speed, can we last for long?_  
_See it backslide in the **burning**__ sun.  
__By the way I ought to let you know,  
__the equator __**peeled off **__when I let you go.  
__Turn off the lights and watch you__** glow**__..._

_To the __**end of all time**__,  
Just so I can see the __**lightning climb over you**__.  
To the __**end of all time**__, _

_Just so I can see the __**lightning climb over me**__._  
** "Till th****e End of Time****" by Stars of Track and Field**

**Disenchanted  
****By  
****JD01 (Emerald Lies)**

**CHAPTER TWELVE:  
****No One Ever Said It Would Be This Hard**

* * *

XXX

Lifeless, Sai dragged his body back home the following morning. The house was now empty, save for the furniture, a remnant of the vivacity it contained only a mere hours ago. Funny how drastically things can change overnight. Funny, and yet Sai was in no mood to laugh.

He brewed his tea, like he did every morning and pulled a chair out of the dinette. He sat down mechanically and waited for the mug to cool. Empty, empty, everything was so empty.

"You definitely look like shit," called out a voice, as the man slipped through the window.

Sai didn't bother responding or even looking his way, he simply took a languid sip of his tea. Sai carefully placed the cup on a coaster. _What's the point? It's not like anyone will ever care if there are rim marks on this table anymore. It's not like this table will ever be used again. It's not like..._

"Why are you here?" Sai abruptly asked, willing to end his dangerous trail of thoughts.

"Seems like you didn't sleep a wink last night." He didn't, but Sai didn't see the point in pursuing this track of conversation.

Then, acquiescing that Sai won't budge, the intruder dropped the pleasantries.

"It seems that I'll be needing your help after all."

That got Sai's attention.

He looked up, his eyes as big as saucers, the dark circles underneath his eyes in stark contrast to his sickly pallor.

"N-now?" Sai choked out, firmly grasping his mug to keep from trembling.

"I'm close to completing the jutsu, but I can't do it alone," he explained. Then, he paused, surveying Sai's odd behaviour, "Why do you look hesitant?"

He licked his lips, "Sasuke found out about his child."

The intruder froze and then a strange, ghost of a smile tickled his lips. And then, the moment was gone. "Mhmm, interesting," he casually commented.

Sai narrowed his eyes. "He married Naruto."

"Ah, he sure works quick," he supplied nonchalantly.

"He _blackmailed_ Naruto into marrying him," Sai corrected through clenched teeth, "And he's taking my daughter too."

"He always had trouble sharing," the man quipped, before ducking as Sai threw his mug at him full force.

The dish clattered against the wall, lightly cracking it.

"DO YOU FIND THIS FUNNY?" Sai hollered, losing it for the first time since the whole nightmare began. The broken shards of the cup fell on the floor, the scalding tea dribbled down the walls and Sai's world was empty. So, so empty.

The man didn't answer and Sai shook his head.

"I can't leave them. I can't abandon my family. My kids. Naruto. I-"

"Sai," the voice beckoned, much softer and kinder than he had ever heard it before, "If we're doing this, it's for everyone's sake. It's for the sake of the defenseless. It's for your kids' sake. It's for your daughter's sake. It's for Naruto's sake. When the time will come, they'll understand."

Sai numbly nodded.

"It's for the best."

A phrase Sai had abundantly repeated to himself over the past eight years. He repeated the mantra on those sticky, humid nights where Naruto slept naked beside him, wiped out from the afterglow. He said it when as he played with Shun in the yard and as he taught him how to ride a bike and as he read him to sleep. He said it the first time he held his beautiful daughter in his arms. He said it as he watched her grow more ravishing by the day. And today, much like all those other times, the words felt hollow and dry on the tip of his tongue. Was it really for the best?

XXX

"It's just a bit further. Come on, Shun. Don't be difficult," Naruto sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. Shun had stopped walking for the umpteenth time during their journey. This time, he thre his backpack to the ground.

"We _just_ moved! Why are we moving again?" Shun demanded angrily. "Where is otousan? I hate this place. I want to go back to Suna! Now!" Shun cried out, stomping his feet petulantly as his face scrunched up in a nasty little sneer. He threw tantrums so often these days, Naruto was honestly fearing that the boy's face will get stuck that way.

Chinatsu pressed her face further into her chichiue's leg. She didn't like it when her aniki got mad like that. He became scary and Chi didn't like to think of her aniki as a scary person.

Naruto bent down and picked up the little girl in his arms, kissing the top of her forehead. Chinatsu was such a shy little thing, sometimes Naruto worried that life would erase her in the background. He didn't want his daughter to become wallpaper.

"Even Chi doesn't throw any tantrums," Naruto sternly remarked, staring down at his agonistic child.

"Hn," Shun sniffed, haughtily crossing his arms over his chest, "That's cause Chi is stupid."

"Shun!" Naruto growled and Chinatsu just pressed her head to his chest, mute. She didn't want her chichiue to get mad and she didn't want Shun to be mean.

Naruto heard his little girl start sniffing quietly and he sighed, soothingly rubbing the back of her head.

"Don't speak to your little sister that way. Apologize," he scolded, his brows furrowed.

"Whatever," the little boy huffed, looking away and petulantly raising his small nose in the air.

Naruto shook his head, at the very limits of his patience. Such a little boy, so much attitude already. He feared what a teenage Shun might become. Visibly annoyed, Naruto growled, picking up the backpack and roughly shoving it on the boy's chest. His dark eyes widened as Shun reflexively scrambled to grab the bag. Naruto tightly grabbed the child's arm and continued walking.

"Stop it! You're hurting me! Stop it!" Shun obnoxiously whined, blinking back the tears.

"Bear with it, since you're incapable of walking on your own," Naruto answered through gritted teeth, yanking the difficult boy forward.

"Stop it!" Shun snivelled, "I want otousan! Where's otousan? Why are we moving again? Why?" the boy squalled, pulling his hand from chichiue's iron grasp.

Chinatsu whined, tightly wrapping her arms around Naruto's neck. She always got anxious around confrontation. Naruto heaved a sigh and stopped dead in his tracks. _What am I doing?_

He loosened his grip on his son's arm and turned to face the frowning, sniffling child. Shun looked down at the ground as he numbly rubbed his aching wrist. Naruto crouched down beside Shun, whose face was reddened by exertion. His heart thudded in his chest. This wasn't how he should be dealing with this, the boy just found out his parents are splitting. Naruto exhaled.

"I told you before, Shun. Sometimes..." Naruto began gently, licking his lips. How the fuck do you explain this to a confused seven year old? "Sometimes parents stop living together because... they're not happy together anymore. But your otousan still loves Chi and you very much. He didn't go anywhere," Naruto supplied, choosing his words carefully as he surveyed the boy's confused black eyes to see if anything of what he was saying sunk in.

Shun, suddenly meek, looked at his chichiue like a lost puppy.

"Is it because of the fight you guys had?" he asked quietly, with all the innocence of a seven year old boy. Naruto felt the strings in his heart tug dully.

"What fight?" Naruto asked, frowning.

"The fight!" Shun exclaimed, as if it were so obvious, as if saying it any louder would help his chichiue understand. "Yesterday! Before otousan left the house! And y-you guys were using bad words! And you..."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly as his son trailed off. He had heard? How did Shun hear? Sai and he had always been extremely careful to not expose their children to their brawls, and still... Naruto closed his eyes shut, still Shun had heard.

"Shh, I remembed now," he gently said, wiping the jet black strands out of the boy's creamy white forehead with his free hand and soothingly kissing the spot. Shun whinged, pressing his head to Naruto's chest, next to Chinatsu. Naruto sighed, firmly holding both of his babies in his arms. When had he turned into such an adult?

"It's not because of that, Shun."

"O-otousan was m-mad at me," the boy hiccoughed, "before leaving, he s-saw me and h-he w-was so mad, chichiue. I-it's b-because of m-me," the boy stuttered, fisting Naruto's shirt. Naruto felt his heart sink deep, the hair on the back of his neck rising. How could he think...? Chi began trembling too. Naruto rubbed her back. His precious little girl, she was so sensitive. She loved her aniki so much, she would instantly burst into tears at the sight of his unease.

"Shunny, your otousan loves you," Naruto whispered against the boy's ear with every ounce of sincerity he could muster. He whispered it with so much fierceness, with so much passion, it momentarily obliterated Shun's budding doubt. There was so much in the world he was unsure of, but Sai's love for Shun wasn't one of them. "I _promise _you, he loves you. I promise you, he didn't leave you. And I promise you that this isn't your fault. Shun, look me in the eyes," he gently manoeuvred his son's face away from his shirt, lifting his chin. "This isn't your fault. Sometimes, these things just... they just happen, but it's not anybody's fault. Otousans and chichiues, they get mad sometimes and sometimes they even yell, but never ever do they stop loving their kids. Has there ever been a day without sun?"

Shun slowly shook his head.

"Never! Right? Even on those cloudy days when you can't see it, the sun is always there. The same way parents can't stop loving their frustrating little midgety kids," Naruto exclaimed pinching his son's cheek playfully. "Even when it doesn't seem like it," he added softly.

"We may not be living with otousan, but you'll see him everyday, okay?"

"P-promise?" Shun hesitantly asked, his dark eyes now reddened and puffy and the sight absolutely broke Naruto's heart.

"Promise," he beamed down at his baby, extending his pinky. Shun swiftly wrapped his own pinky around chichiue's and they bumped thumbs. "Now, where's my brave, big boy? All I see is a crying little baby," Naruto asked in an eccentric deep voice, turning his head side to side, mockingly searching.

Shun roughly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"R-right here, chichiue!" Shun excitedly exclaimed, stuttering lightly.

"There he is!" Naruto simpered, embracing Shun with all his might. Chinatsu giggled, copying her brother and wiping her tears.

"Let's go to our new home, ne?" he cheerfully announced.

He got to his feet and extended his arm to Shun, who slowly grabbed it.

The Uchiha compound was in the further east part of Konoha, clearly demarcated by large pillars. It was dramatically different from the rest of Konoha― Shun silently gaped, awed. The houses were much bigger, grandiose even. They were clearly made with much better material than the average Konoha home. Some were even made with grey stone that practically shimmered, Shun noted excitedly. Even the roads were nicely paved, unlike the rest of the dirt-beaten streets in the village. Most buildings though had ivy crawling its way up; they were dusty, ancient and ill-maintained. Naruto noted the rundown old Uchiha police department as he walked by. Uchiha police― this was before his time, but it struck him how not too long ago this place was bustling with life and energy, brimming with child prodigies. Uchihas, the future of Konoha, one of the founding clans of Konoha. So many generations of proud Sharingan wielders that must have lived, that must have walked through these very streets. And now, they're all gone. And now, they're all erased. All that remains is dust and ash. How desolating, Naruto thought as he finally stopped, his insides anxiously twisting.

He squeezed Shun's hand. This is it.

Sasuke stood on the steps of the big Uchiha estate, his arms crossed over his chest, on leg poised over the other. Sasuke disinterestedly regarded him, before setting his gaze on Shun. He stared intently. Naruto licked his chapped lips. And so it begins, he solemnly thought, taking a step forward only to be held back by Shun.

"I don't want to go!" Shun pleaded, tugging at his chichiue's arm.

Naruto sighed, trying to muster the patience to deal with this ball of trouble. He didn't blame the kid, the rug had been pulled from under his feet and he was struggling to maintain some semblance of balance, desperately grasping at any shred of normalcy. Shun was lost and confused, he was frightened and hurt, and Naruto's heart ached to know his baby boy was hurting so much. He didn't blame the boy, but still... he wished Shun wouldn't make this transition so difficult. It was unreasonable. Illogical. Wishful thinking. Naruto knew it. He never thought it would be so hard, and it had barely even begun.

"Shunny, please. Just come inside," Naruto tried to reason, attempting to keep the frustration from leaking into his tone.

"I'm not going in that house with him! I'm not living with him," Shun whined, stomping his feet.

"That's enough!" Sasuke bellowed impatiently, the sound so aggressive it instantly made Chinatsu recoil into Naruto's chest. Shun started, eyes wide, abruptly shutting up. Naruto just clicked his tongue, glaring viciously at Sasuke. Such a brash son of a bitch. _Yes, I'm sure if you terrorize the boy, he'll better accept you..._

"Come inside already," Sasuke snapped, sneering over his shoulder as he strutted inside the house.

Chinatsu was shivering. Naruto patted her head.

"Hey, what's my big girl afraid of?" he whispered in her ear. Chi shook her head. "That's right, nothing. My baby girl is fearless." She tentatively smiled and Naruto wondered for the umpteenth time what the hell he was doing. _Grab your kids and fucking run_, shrieked every fiber of his being.

Instead, he pulled on a shocked silent Shun's arm.

"Come on," he urged gently, Shun mutely followed his step, albeit reluctantly.

The house was definitely much bigger than anything Naruto had ever lived in before. It was huge, but it was lifeless. Not a shred of decoration. Dark, clean. Too clean, _clinically_ clean. Not a speck of dust to be seen. Naruto's eyes bulged. It definitely will not be kept this way with these two monsters running around. Hopefully, Sasuke wouldn't have any delusions about that.

Sasuke awkwardly stood in the hallway, mute. He didn't quite know what to say, Naruto cleared his throat. Might as well break the ice. He gently put Chinatsu down, putting his hand on her head.

"Sasuke, this is Chinatsu. Chinatsu, say hi."

The little girl timidly waved. Sasuke just stared impassively.

"Sasuke?" Naruto muttered through gritted teeth. Sasuke looked up at him dumbly. Naruto rolled his eyes, exasperated. How can a man be so successful in his career and be such an utter failure at basic human interaction? "She _waved_ you hello."

Sasuke curtly raised his hand and awkwardly waved back. Chinatsu blushed, covering her face in Naruto's pants.

"And this is Shun," Naruto introduced, patting the little raven head.

"Hn," the boy glowered, his little arms puerilely crossed over his chest, sniffing.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. He was at a loss for words. Shun was such a terribly sweet boy... when he didn't feel wronged by the world. Sasuke glared murderously at the midget. What was all this attitude being served to him by such a little shrimp of a boy? He could easily teach the little bugger something about respect with the back of his hand, but he decided against it. It wasn't the boy's fault he didn't know who his father was.

"This is your new home," Sasuke announced, "and from now on, you shall call me 'otousan'."

"YOU'RE NOT MY OTOUSAN!" Shun instantly boomed, tightly balling his fists until his knuckles blanched. Chinatsu quickly shrank in her chichiue, making herself smaller than she already was.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, unimpressed by the child's flair for dramatics.

"Oh?" he asked lowly. "The_ kekkai genkai_ in your eyes tell a different story," Sasuke replied, smirking in that irritatingly self-satisfied manner of his. He blinked, revealing his bloodied eyes. Chinatsu gasped, hiding her face.

Naruto furrowed his brows, hastily jerking the boy by the shoulders to face him. Indeed, a single tomoe slowly swirled in crimson eyes.

Shun, irritated, smacked his chichiue's arm off of his shoulders. He turned around, pinning Sasuke with a deathly glare.

"You're not my otousan! You're never going to be my otousan! Sai's my otousan! You're nothing but an impostor!" Shun bellowed with all his might, his face reddening from exertion.

Sasuke's scarlet eyes widened. He couldn't quite explain the sharp pang in his chest, but as the little boy― _his_ little boy― glowered at him with so much venom, Sasuke felt like someone had fisted his heart and cruelly ripped it right out of the confines of his ribcage.

_Sai's my otousan._

"Don't make me knock you unconscious again, little boy," Sasuke snarled through tightly clenched teeth. Even as he spoke to Shun, his eyes didn't leave Naruto. Angry, accusing eyes.

But even a blind man could distinguish the whirlpool of hurt and betrayal poorly enshrouded under all that anger. Naruto swallowed the lump down his throat.

"Enough," Naruto sternly intervened, protectively stepping in front of Shun. "Just," he cleared his throat, trying to dissipate the asphyxiating tension, "show us our rooms so we can unpack."

Sasuke brushed the onyx bangs out of his eye and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Fuck. How could he lose his cool like that? It hadn't even been five minutes since he officially met his son and already he was threatening him. FUCK.

"They're upstairs. You'll find your stuff already there. Everyone has a separate room," Sasuke mumbled, the lingering irritation still staining his words.

"Go on," Naruto encouragingly pushed Chinatsu and Shun forward, infusing as much enthusiasm as he could muster in his words.

Chinatsu started slowly, but when she saw Shun stubbornly holding ground, she swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

"Come on, aniki," Chi happily nudged, dragging a very reluctant Shun up the stairs.

Naruto made way to follow suit but a firm shove to his chest kept him from climbing the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sasuke asked with a hint of malice as he quirked his brow.

"To my room," Naruto bit out, glowering, visibly annoyed at the harsh treatment. After all the effort he expended on trying to patch things up between this beast and Shun, this was his reward?

"That's not where your room is," Sasuke answered. Naruto looked at him dumbly, the knowing feeling of dread washing over him at the sight of Sasuke's denigrating smirk.

Sasuke pushed himself off the banister and turned about.

Naruto, suspicious, followed him cautiously, leaving a decent safe distance between them. They made their way through the corridor, all hardwood and immaculate. They bypassed the kitchen (it was rather big, Naruto remarked with starry eyes― and _sparkling_) and the family room (a comfortable space with a simple table and a few elegant cushions on the floor). At the very end of the corridor there was an open door. Sasuke leaned against the doorframe as Naruto sidestepped the captain, poking his head through the door.

"Is this a storage room or a closet?" he asked, confused.

"This is your new room," Sasuke announced, a cruel smile on his thin lips as he walked away.

"What?" Naruto's eyes bulged out of their sockets as he turned on the light and noticed his luggage occupying a good portion of the ridiculously small room. There wasn't even a window. "You've got to be kidding me!" Naruto scoffed, outraged. "This is smaller than my room in my old apartment back in my Academy days!"

The captain turned around, quite unfazed by Naruto's outcries.

"You're also expected to pay rent," he casually informed him, and Naruto could swear there was an evil glint in his eyes.

"You're ballistic," Naruto whispered hollowly, shaking his head, "You're fucking mental!"

"And you'll cook," Sasuke continued, unbothered, counting off his fingers, "and do the laundry and― "

"I'm not your fucking maid, Uchiha!" Naruto yelled indignantly. He was going to be _Rokudaime_, for goodness sake, and here was this... this beast treating him like a slave. Naruto knew that he could take him on, and it took every last ounce of self restraint to keep from Rasengan-ing right in his lily-white ass into oblivion.

"I'm sorry, did I lead you to believe that this was going to be a fucking vacation for you? Did you think you were going to get hotel treatment if you were living here? I meant every word I said, Uzumaki. I'm going to make your life a living Hell," Sasuke hissed, and his dark eyes were so cold and so angry, Naruto felt the chill rise up his spine.

He gaped. He opened his mouth to put that bastard back in his rightful place, but the saner part of him reminded him that his children were upstairs and starting a verbal lashing now wasn't the wisest decision. Sai and he had always been careful not to subject their children to their fights, and yet still, Shun had managed to hear. He didn't want a repeat of that incident, especially when he was trying so hard to convince his children that everything was just peachy.

And then, a quiet, almost imperceptible voice buried deep, deep inside whispered, "_You deserve it._"

Naruto gawked in disbelief, watching the beast retreat. It was going to be a very, painstakingly long rest of his life, he mused.

XXX

The announcement was a big, hoop-la of an affair, but Naruto just wanted to get it over with. Shun and Chinatsu were left at home under Sasuke's supervision. He used the term 'supervision' lightly― the kids were busy unpacking, and even if they weren't, Naruto knew they wouldn't come out of their rooms. Shun stayed locked in his room, pouting. Chi played quietly with her dolls in a corner. Besides, he wasn't sure if he wanted them to witness this moment. Not under these circumstances at least. Naruto sighed as the elders presented him as the Rokudaime to the gathered villagers from atop Hokage tower.

The whole thing lacked its usual festive air; most villagers were solemnly ruminating over Godaime's sudden ailment.

Naruto took his oath to protect and serve the village and its villagers with their best interest at heart, delivering it with every bone in his body, but he had been gone for eight whole years and few villagers, outside of those that knew and cared for him, actually believed in his words. That's okay, that didn't bother Naruto much. He would _make_ them believe in his words. He would show them, Naruto had no doubt about it. He knew he could be _the_ best Hokage there ever was and he was going to make damn sure of it.

As Naruto was scurried back into the tower by the elders, most of whom were all speaking simultaneously, one over the other about which issues should take precedence, he was swiftly pulled back by a firm grip.

Naruto furrowed his brows, turning about and the vice around his wrist tightened. Sakura was _not_ pleased.

"Hokage-sama?" one of his guard asked, unsure.

Naruto flashed a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck in that habitual way of his.

"Umm... you guys go ahead. I'll be with your shortly," he excused himself, smiling dumbly.

He saw some of the elders shake their heads and murmur in disapproval, and the really childish part of Naruto just wanted to blow them a raspberry. _Lighten up, geez..._ He knew he had his work cut out for him for the naysayers to soften up to him.

Sakura had the courtesy to wait until the last billowing robe turned around the corner before she roughly smacked Naruto on the back of his very blonde head.

"Argh! What gives?" he angrily growled, shoving her hand off of his wrist.

"_Married_?" she hissed in a disturbing, mind-numbing high-pitched shriek, her green eyes set ablaze. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, _Mrs. Uchiha_?" she taunted humourlessly.

Naruto was about to retort, when it occurred to him that something was missing.

Quickly, and with all the urgency of a newly made Hokage, he grabbed her shoulders, and looked at her earnestly.

"Have you seen Sai?" he asked, squeezing her shoulders.

Sakura pushed his hands off of her and glared.

"I asked you a question, Na-ru-to."

"Have you seen him?" he bit out, practically gnashing his teeth in frustration.

She gave him a blank look, unsettled by the sudden franticness in his mannerisms.

"I see," Naruto nodded, concluding that she had in fact not.

Was he avoiding him? It hadn't been a day, the wound was still fresh and Naruto wouldn't blame him. He felt like the biggest douchebag on the planet and yet, he felt like he had no other choice. And he knew Sai must want his space. He must feel used and betrayed and hurt beyond measure― and he had every right to be. But was it unreasonable to wish that Sai could set those feelings aside and meet with him? Talk to him? So that they can figure out where to go from here, so that he could go visit Shun and Chi and assure them that everything will be alright? So that this transition could be made, maybe, even just a little bit, easier for Shun? Naruto sighed, exhausted already and the day had barely begun.

"You could've told me, you know," Sakura whispered, hurt flashing in those emerald eyes.

Naruto looked away. This was an old pattern of theirs, wasn't it? Naruto fucks-up, Sakura finds out somehow and she's upsetangrypissedhurt, so, so hurt because Naruto doesn't tell her. And no matter how many times he tells her it isn't a question of trust, Sakura can't help but look at him with those wounded eyes. _Why don't you ever tell me anything? _Hurting people. It seemed like he was doing a lot of that lately.

"Can we not do this right now?" he blew out, exasperated.

Sakura just rolled her eyes and nodded, biting her lower lip. _Of course._

Naruto started walking away, but then turned around, his big, blue eyes apologetic.

_Those stupid eyes_. Sakura clenched her fists, frustrated. She knew she was a goner when he looked at her with those stupid, blue eyes.

"I... I have a lot of work to do right now. We'll talk later?" he asked, but what he really meant was _'Please don't stay mad at me?'_. His face was hopeful, almost childlike and Sakura took a deep breath.

She shooed him away. Naruto threw her a grateful smile, one that melted hearts and Sakura wondered why she kept forgiving this infuriatingly charming man.

XXX

Shun slowly opened the sliding doors to his room, careful not to make a peep. He poked his head out, the lights were out, nobody in sight. Good, everyone was sleeping then. He tiptoed his way across the hall, looking from side to side, feeling very much like a ninja. He _absolutely _must not be seen! He slid the doors open and slinked his way inside.

"Chi," he whispered from the doorway, but the slumbering blob did not budge.

"Chinatsu!" he hissed a bit louder, making his way to the single bed.

Irritated, Shun clicked his tongue and roughly shook the blanket-covered figure. Chi welped and Shun quickly shoved a hand over her mouth, alarmed.

"_Shh!_" he anxiously hushed.

The little girl shifted, kicking the blanket off of her and rubbed her sleep laden eyes.

"A-awiki?" she squeeked, her voice muffled by Shun's hand.

He removed his hand and clambered on the bed, excited.

"Chi, we're going on a mission!" he happily whispered.

"What time ish it, aniki?" she yawned, confused.

"That's not important," Shun dismissed, puffing out his chest to make himself look bigger. "We're on a mission, Chinatsu. Like ninjas!"

"Mission!" Chinatsu exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Be quiet," Shun scolded, frowning. "If you're not going to be quiet then I'm not taking you," he muttered slyly.

"No, aniki!" she pleaded, scampering to grab him, but instantly clapped her hand over her mouth after Shun threw her a murderous glare. "I want to go with aniki," she quietly mumbled, desperately clinging onto Shun's night shirt.

"Okay, but you have to be real quiet," Shun demanded, holding her little wrists in his hands and prying them off of his shirt.

Chinatsu eagerly nodded, her innocent eyes shimmering in the moonlight. "Thank you, aniki! You're the best!"

Shun smiled, self-satisfied, feeling like a benevolent king who just spared a dirt poor, rotting villager.

"We are going to go bring back otousan," he announced, a conspiratory grin spreading on his thin pink lips.

"Otousan?" the little girl asked hesitantly.

Shun nodded reassuringly.

Through the moonlit night, Chinatsu saw the mirthful glint in Shun's dark eyes and she smiled real big.

"You, me, chichiue and otousan are going to be a family again! And we're going to find otousan. How does that sound?"

They were going to bring otousan back and everything will go back to normal and they would be a big, happy family again. That sounded lovely.

XXX

Naruto first realized something was wrong when he didn't hear Shun's snoring reverberating through the house.

Naruto couldn't sleep a wink in his painfully uncomfortable futon in his claustrophobic extravagant-for-a-closet-but-a-closet-nonetheless room. He found it odd that he couldn't hear Shun's sporadic snoring. The boy was a log. When he was out, he was dead to the world for a solid ten hours. It would take a severe earthquake to wake the boy in the middle of his deep sleep. And his snoring! The first time, Naruto thought their house was being raided, it was so loud. Naruto found it to be a complete mystery how Shun was the complete diametrical opposite of Chinatsu, who even in her sleep was so meek and quiet.

But perhaps the Uchiha complex had better soundproofing than the previous homes they had lived in, Naruto mused, so he let the matter rest.

After relieving himself, Naruto judged that it would be utterly impossible to fall asleep in that glorified closet. He carefully climbed the stairs, weary of Sasuke. If the bastard caught him trying to bunk with Shun, he'd probably fine him. Naruto rolled his eyes. He had the pay rent. _Rent!_ When he was _coerced_ into living here. Stingy bastard.

There were quite a few bedrooms on the upper level. Naruto counted five. The one at the complete end of the hallway was most likely Jailor Sasuke's. He assumed that the only one to the right of it was probably Shun's... he was surely trying to keep the boy at arm's length. Naruto's step faltered. Despite all the antagonistic feelings he held for Sasuke, it would be an outright lie if he said he were unaffected by Shun's complete disregard for the man. Although the bastard was too proud to say it, Naruto knew that it must scald to have your own flesh and blood hate your guts.

And then, a sardonic whisper beckoned from the back of his mind, "_It's your fault._"

Naruto shook his head, drawing out the unpleasant thoughts from his mind and slowly padded to the boy's room. The floorboards didn't creak much, thank Heavens. The doors slid open and Naruto peered inside. The fading moonlight seeped into the spacious room; Naruto's eyes widened― Shun's room was even bigger than the master bedroom in their old crummy apartment! Naruto stepped inside, spotting boxes full of Shun's clothes and toys in the side. Naruto sighed; the boy hadn't unpacked a single thing and Naruto's chest clenched painfully. His baby boy was miserable and Naruto had no idea how to stop the hurt, and it was killing him.

And then, his heart stilled. There were ruffled sheets on the big queen size bed, bunched up blankets, but no Shun. The freezing feeling of dread sank in his bosom. He couldn't quite explain the hammering panic chipping away inside him, but somehow Naruto knew, he just knew something was off.

He opened the light and quickly slammed the closet open, scanning inside. No Shun to be found. He rushed to the three other room on the left side of the hallway.

The first two bedrooms were a bit smaller than Shun's, each practically bare. The third bedroom though, furthest from the master bedroom was considerably smaller. Not as small as Naruto's glorified closet, but still much smaller than Shun's. It also happened to be the only other bedroom furnished with a bed set. It was Chinatsu's, Naruto realized with much irritation. But he didn't have much time to dwell on the subject, instantly noting that Chi's bed was quite empty. His heart skipped a beat. Where were they? Shun gone amiss was one thing, but Chinatsu...? She was the shyest, meekest, sweetest little girl. She didn't have a shred of rebellion in her. Naruto was seized with trepidation. Where the hell were his kids? Anxiously, he rummaged through the room, roughly yanking the closet open and throwing the bed aside.

"Chinatsu! Shun!" he called after them, his heart hammering.

"Why are you shrieking like a banshee?" irritatedly asked a voice from the hallway.

But Naruto's heart was pounding in his ears and the fear crawling up his throat left a bitter sting in its wake and his babies were missing and _ohmygosh, ohmygosh_.

"Where are they?" Naruto frantically demanded. He whipped his face towards Sasuke, despair etched all over his chiseled features. The sardonic words died on Sasuke's lips.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke carefully inquired, with an uncharacteristic lack of sarcasm, stepping into the room. Dawn was breaking in― Sasuke usually rose early to complete his morning training routine. Today, however, he was awakened by some annoyingly inconsiderate door banging. He had abruptly grabbed the kunai under his pillow, before he remembered that, for the first time in twenty-one years, his house had other inhabitants. This was going to take some getting used to. A lot of getting used to, actually.

"Where are my kids, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, though he tried to remain composed, the trembling in his hands and the barely perceptible quiver in his voice spoke volumes of his state of distress.

"_Our_," Sasuke instinctively growled, before― in a flash, movement Sasuke couldn't even make out― Naruto was gripping him by the collar, the same demonic chakra leaking out of him the day Sasuke came to claim his son.

"Where. Are. They?" Naruto gritted in a clipped tone, punctuating each word like a vicious stab to the spleen.

Sasuke slapped his hands away, displeased with being caught off guard. When did Naruto get so damn fast? It was starting to irritate him.

"I don't know," Sasuke finally said, his Mangekyou whirring to life as he examined the room, his face taut.

Sheer worry was splashed all over Naruto's panicked face and Sasuke couldn't deny the ball of anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach.

Naruto's blue eyes shimmered with fear. Such sincere vulnerability. Sasuke found himself swallowing a lump down his throat.

Then, awkwardly, he cleared his throat, "We'll find them."

And maybe it was the worry rotting his brain or maybe it was the sleep deprivation or maybe it was Sasuke's awkward effort at reassurance, but in that moment, all Naruto could do was give him a small, sad smile. And Sasuke had to look away.

XXX

"Aniki, I'm tired!" Chinatsu whined softly, as her brother gruffly pulled her down the darkened forest.

"Come _on_!" Shun snapped irritatedly, tugging her forward.

"Aniki, let's just go home! Chichiue will bring otousan back," she reasoned softly, whimpering. Her stubby little feet were hurting from walking so much and her flower-patterned velcro shoes were slipping off and her arm where Shun was pulling ached and she was sleepy and tired and it was still dark outside and she was scared. Chinatsu didn't like this. Being a ninja wasn't as fun as she thought it would be.

"No!" Shun boomed angrily making Chinatsu cower and he instantly regretted it. Shun softened his expression. "We're finding otousan and we'll make him come back and he'll kick that Sausage guy and take chichiue back and we'll be happy again, _okay_?" he explained, though it sounded more like an order than a question.

Chinatsu meekly nodded not wanting to fuel her aniki's ire any further.

"Okay," she softly acquieced. Then, looking around at wonderment at all the trees, she asked, "Where are we?" The trees were so big and green and pretty here! There weren't many trees in her old house.

Shun faltered.

"I... I'm not sure," he hesitated, tilting his head to the side and narrowing his eyes in concentration. Where were they? He seemed to think this was the way they came from yesterday morning, but their house was nowhere to be seen.

"We're lost?" Chinatsu asked in a squeaky voice, her lower-lip quivering.

"We're not lost. Stop crying," he barked, but that only made matters worse. Chinatsu's dark, dark eyes got real big and welled with tears. "Chinatsu!" he snapped, exasperated. His sister was such a crybaby! Though Shun wasn't about to admit that he too was really scared. "We'll find otousan."

But Chinatsu wasn't listening to him as she rubbed her eyes to hide the tears streaming down her face. Shun was upset and terrified because he had no idea where they were and he had no idea how to get to his otousan. This whole plan was a mess and Shun really, really wanted to be back with his chichiue. He let Chi's hand go.

"If you're going to cry, I'm just going to leave you here!" he growled, trying to mask his fear with anger, but failing miserably as the butterflies rumbled in his tummy and an urgent need to pee throttled him.

"Aniki, no!" Chi desperately cried out, her eyes widened as she full-blown sobbed. She didn't want to be left here alone! It was so big and scary!

Shun glared and was about to walk away, just a few steps, not to be mean or anything. He just wanted to make Chinatsu believe his threat and quiet down so that he can figure out what to do and how to get to otousan. He began walking, looking back at the wailing Chi, when he ran smack into a figure. Shun fell on his bum.

"Well hello there, little strangers. Are you lost?"

XXX

The sight was not an uncommon one for the villagers of Konohagakure. As the leaves ruffled above them, most villagers didn't even bother looking up. Uchiha Sasuke leaped like a spring from tree to tree, seething. Another day, another occasion for the captain of ANBU to rage.

Today, however, the captain wasn't his regular 'someone-puked-on-my-boots' pissed. No, he was positively _livid_ and as the anger coursed through his veins, he was trembling.

Someone better have kidnapped that spoiled, insolent brat of his, because he was going to tear the kid to _shreds_ if it turned out the little monster dared to run away from him. But of course, Sasuke knew that there was no way an intruder could ever enter his estate. His security was practically flawless. And even if by some chance an extraordinary ninja did manage to get through, there was no way he could escape without leaving any signs.

Damn kids.

He tried to convince himself that this was all part of Naruto's master plan.

Poison the children's minds with ideas of escape and then while Sasuke was out looking for them like a buffoon, Sai and Naruto would scoop the kids up and reset their lives some place far, far away. Cackling, as they raised his son.

Sasuke clenched his fist as he hopped from one tree to the next, his bloody eyes scanning, searching, distraught.

Naruto must have plotted it all... But Naruto's eyes― so blue, so sincere, scintillating with worry and at the edge of panic― those eyes told a different story. And, after all, it had been Sasuke's own idea for them to split up. They both had agreed that it was wiser for one person to stand guard at home. So he told Naruto to remain at the complex in case the kids decided to come back while Sasuke would go out looking for them. He huffed in annoyance. Damn kids.

They were so troublesome and needy and beyond stupid. If only there was a way to fastforward through the stupid years. He sighed, jumping off the tree when he felt a string of familiar quaint chakra. A hint of a potent, savage-like chakra stirred with a different, powerful, yet more refined one. Although Sasuke hadn't been exposed much to it yet, he had committed Shun's intriguing dual chakra to memory. Thankfully, the boy had yet to learn how to dissimulate it. His was a strange chakra that offered much promise as a great ninja. If only the brat would cease the theatrics and start formal training with him, Sasuke knew he could mould him into an excellent warrior, the best of his generation, a ninja worthy of the Uchiha name.

He frowned. So far, the kid had proven to be impossibly belligerent and much of a headache. He was the boy's father, but he didn't even get an ounce of respect. _Yeah, whose fault was that? Whose fault was it that you missed _seven_ years of Shun's life? _He gnashed his teeth, banishing the venemous thoughts from his mind. He had to focus. First thing's first: find the brats.

The chakra intensified as Sasuke crouched out of the forest. He was right by the Academy. Of course, that's where they must be hiding, it was probably one of the only places in Konoha with which the brat got acquainted.

"Yo," the lazy drawl came from behind and faster than the speed of sound, Sasuke whipped back, kunai at the intruder's throat. He did not appreciate being caught off guard.

"Touchy are we, Sauchy-chan?" Kakashi asked pleasantly, his arms up in the air and though his mask hid his face, Sasuke could imagine the infuriating grin on his face.

"Where. Are. They?" Sasuke bit out, tightening his grasp on his green jacket, almost to a choking hold.

"You're not even going to greet your old sensei?" Kakashi asked in mock astonishment. "Manners were lost in your generation," he _tsked_, shaking his head in fake dismay.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, annoyed. This sadistic old geezer wasn't going to let up anything. He gruffly pushed him away. He didn't have time to play. He could feel their chakra coming from the Academy and without sparing his ex-sensei a glance, he quickly dashed for the building.

"I didn't say you could leave, Saucy-chan," singsonged his playful sensei, before suddenly appearing in front of Sasuke, the latter running smack into the former.

"If you're going to waste my valuable time with your mindfuckery, I rather just find my kid on my own and take him home," Sasuke glowered, the killing intent oozing from him.

"They're with Iruka. Don't worry," Kakashi said placatingly, his face suddenly turned serious.

Sasuke sidestepped the man, uninterested in his words of comfort.

"I found them wandering around Konoha before dawn," Kakashi called out after Sasuke, "I brought them to the Academy. The boy's chakra leaks so much, I knew you'd easily find him."

"What?" Sasuke whipped around, incensed. "Do you _never_ use your sad excuse of a brain to think? You couldn't have just brought them home? Do you how fucking worried out of our wits Naruto and I were?"

" _'Naruto and I'. _Cute. Just like a married couple," Kakashi began, sarcasm dripping in his every word, "Oh wait."

"Is this funny to you?" Sasuke sneered, the vein on his forehead plumpy and throbbing, ready to burst. "Is this a joke to you? You sick, sadistic motherf― "

"Know your place, Sasuke," Kakashi quickly snapped, his face thunderous. He would _not_ be spoken to so disrespectfully, captain or no captain. "The boy was hysterical and started throwing a fit at the mere prospect of returning home. I brought them to Iruka so that he could calm them down. They're your kids, Sasuke. At least, the boy is. You should keep a better watch on them. They're your responsi― "

"Don't," Sasuke vociferated, his eyes blazing, "Do not lecture me. Ever."

"You didn't tell me about your marriage," Kakashi whispered, his eye accusing. Hurt. Upset. A slew of other unidentifiable emotions that Sasuke was too angry to dwell on.

"Did you want an invitation, Kakashi-sensei?" he mocked caustically, the words lurching out of his mouth, barbed to prick, "Were you expecting a card? Did you want to be my best man? Do you think we were friends?"

"Sasuke..." Kakashi voice trailed off as he looked away.

"You knew," Sasuke breathed heavily, the accusation laden in his tone, his face contorted in pain. "You knew. All this time, all these years. When we were standing outside their home in Suna and you told me about Naruto's children and the justu, you knew that Shun was mine. All this time."

"Sasuke," Kakashi muttered longingly, his tone apologetic as his insides twisted. There were no words. For what Sasuke was going through, for what he did to Sasuke, there were no words.

"You're not denying it," Sasuke whispered brokenly and in that moment he looked so much like a child, so much like the damaged child Kakashi had first picked up all those many moons ago. The child that acted like an adult, but was really just broken inside. Kakashi wished like he had so many times before that he could just go back in time and erase all of this boy's wounds.

"It wasn't my place to tell you. It―"

"Mark my words, Hatake Kakashi, I will _never_ forgive you for what you've robbed from me," Sasuke hissed solemnly, his scarlet eyes quivering in his wrath.

"Sasuke!" his sensei snapped, "If it were up to me, I would've told you. I would've told you the instant I found out," he urgently supplied.

"Yeah? But you didn't." Sasuke's voice was hollow. "The Hokage, Sai, Sakura, Naruto and you. You've all been playing me for a fool," Sasuke laughed derisively. "I was the biggest fool for trusting you."

Sasuke stormed into the Academy before Kakashi could get another word in. In this world there was nobody you could trust. Not family, not friends and certainly not some perverted sensei. He clenched his jaw as he rounded the corner. He was weak, so weak. He had let himself get attached, let himself get blindsided. He was a fool.

The door was left wide open; they weren't difficult to spot. They were sitting in the old classroom he had taught in, munching on some cookies, still clad in their pyjamas softly as Iruka chatted softly.

"Sasuke!" Iruka cried out, surprised, as the dangerous aura wafted out of the enraged captain in waves.

"We're going. Now!" he thundered, his face taut, glaring viciously at the little boy who refused to meet his gaze. The little girl dropped her cookie and squeaked.

"Sasuke, please calm down," Iruka pleaded, making a motion to stand but Sasuke pushed past him, blatantly ignoring his request.

Chinatsu whimpered, terrified of the man who looked ready to kill. Shun, panicked, defiantly leaped in front of her, effectively blocking her from Sasuke.

"Go away!" he barked with all the bravado he could muster, as Chinatsu hugged herself. She hated fights. She hated it. She just wanted to be back with her chichiue.

Sasuke, blinded by his rage, roughly grabbed the annoyingly stubborn boy and threw him over his shoulder. He extended his hand to Chinatsu and impatiently glared down at her, the blue vein on his forehead violently pulsating.

Chinatsu hesitantly stared up at the hand, shuffling in her seat.

"Go on, Chi," Iruka nudged, soothingly. "Your chichiue must be worried sick. You want to go back to your chichiue, right? Sasuke will take you to him," he smiled reassuringly.

Chi nodded and grabbed Sasuke's hand. In an instant, he angrily whisked them away, dust flying in his wake.

"When will that boy ever learn?" Iruka muttered to himself, exhausted with the captain's antics.

"Sometimes I feel like there's no hope for him," Kakashi agreed, popping beside the chuunin.

"Don't say that," Iruka chided, a small, hopeful smile on hiss lips, "Don't you know things have to get worse before they get better?"

XXX

The trek back home had been uneventful. After Shun's initial tantrum, Sasuke frightened the boy into silence. Although it did not please Sasuke in the least bit having to terrify his own son with a Chidori, he was honestly at wit's end. It hadn't even been a day since the birth of their reconstituted family and Sasuke was already emotionally drained. His patience, stunted as it already was, was sucked dry and he had absolute no idea how to get through to the boy. Being a father wasn't supposed to be this hard, was it? Chinatsu, on the other hand, was thankfully obedient. She didn't make a meep and she diligently followed him. They made their way by foot, Sasuke fearing leaping through the foliage with two flight-risk children. He awkwardly held onto Chinatsu's hand, hers moist in his, while Shun contrarily walked in front, categorically refusing to hold his hand. Sasuke heaved a sigh. The damn brat decided to fight over every little thing and Sasuke, exhausted, decided to give this one to him.

The instant Naruto came to view, worriedly pacing in front of the compound, Chinatsu eagerly disengaged her hand and excitedly pitter-pattered her way into Naruto's welcoming arms.

Shun coldly stalked past his chichiue without uttering a word. The frigidness was not lost of Naruto.

"Shun! Shun!" Naruto called out after a stomping Shun. "Answer me, damn it," but the boy marched on, unfazed. "Come back here. Do you know how irresponsible, how _idiotic_ what you did was? And taking Chinatsu with you? Do you know what could've happened to you? Shun!" Naruto let his daughter go, abruptly standing up. "Uzumaki Shun, I am talking to you," he thundered after the boy, his face harbouring a reddish hue after all that yelling, his eyes cold and hard.

Hearing his full name spoken in such a threatening manner, Shun stopped mid-track and turned about. He threw his chichiue a withering glare, his cheekbones made prominent from his vice-like clenched jaw. He stalked away nonplussed without uttering another word.

Naruto shook his head in disbelief. He was ready to just about rip his hair from the roots, that kid was unbelievably infuriating. He had no control over the kid, he couldn't discipline the boy and with each passing minute, he was starting to feel more and more like a failure of a parent.

Sasuke would've been damn proud of his son's beautiful display of Uchihaness, if he wasn't so enraged over his blatant disregard and disrespect for parental authority.

"Don't be mad. Please," Chinatsu quietly snivelled, pulling down on Naruto's pants and all he could do was bend down and kiss her on the top of her head reassuringly. Every night, he prayed he could build a world where Chinatsu would never have to whimper again. And every day, he failed.

Sasuke furrowed his brows and started after the boy, when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He threw a questioning glance over his shoulder.

"I―" Naruto began, licking his lips. Sasuke looked down at the alien hand clutching his sleeve and back up at Naruto's nervous fave, raising an elegant brow. Naruto quickly let go of him as if it burnt, laughing awkwardly as he massaged the back of his neck. "Um... thanks for bringing them back."

"Next time try disciplining them better," Sasuke caustically shot back, negating all effort at placation on Naruto's part and hurried after his son.

Naruto stood there, quaking in ire from Sasuke's gall, an insult hot on his tongue. He then, for the second time that day, quickly reminded himself that he was in the presence of a child. This was neither the time nor place for him to be waging a verbal war and losing his cool. He mutely stared off into space, astonished, the burn of Sasuke's words still fresh on his skin.

He exhaled deeply, biting his tongue to keep from screaming in sheer frustration until his throat scorched raw.

"Come on, baby girl, you've had a long day," he finally said, breathing loudly though his nose, "How about a nap, mhmm?" he offered, gently taking a very pliant Chi into his arms.

XXX

Shun laid face down on his bed.

Discouraged. Disheartened. Dispirited.

Fluctuating between upset and despondent, he hid his face in his pillow.

This sucked. This house sucked. This whole village sucked. His life sucked. Shun snivelled, balling his little hands into fists. He just wanted things to go back to normal. His life in Suna now felt like a distant dream, a bittersweet, tantalizing taste of better days that were never real. He just wanted his family back. Why was that so difficult? Why did things have to change? This wasn't fair!

Shun hated it here. He hated it. He hated it more than he had ever hated anything. He hated that stupid Sausage who brainwashed his chichiue and made his otousan leave. He hates Chi for not making a fuss. He hated his otousan for leaving in the first place. And right about now, he even hated his chichiue for falling under the Sausage's spell. He hated it all.

Shun was fuming on his bed, sporadically banging his head against the pillow in frustration, when the door to his room suddenly slid open, revealing a volatile aura, electrifying the air.

The harsh scolding was right at the tip of Sasuke's tongue, when he caught a glimpse of the boy's misty eyes glinting in the dim lighting of the room. The boy had been crying, Sasuke considered uncomfortably, unsure what to do in such a situation.

"Get up," Sasuke barked after clearing his throat, glaring at the little brat, wallowing on the bed. He'd opt for another route then.

Shun didn't deign the intruder with an answer and just 'hmped', turning his head away.

"Get up, _now_," the captain bit out loudly, clenching his fists to his sides. Even when he tried to play nice ,the boy was still testing his patience.

"What's going on here?" Naruto frowned, sizing up Sasuke. He'd just placed Chinatsu in bed when he heard Sasuke's unmistakable deep rumble. He peeked inside, the boy was pouting in bed. He stared questioningly at Sasuke, who in turn ignored him.

"Shun, get. Up," Sasuke exaggeratedly enunciated through clenched teeth.

But Shun didn't budge and Naruto kept staring at him, unyielding, with those big, questioning eyes. He was being made to look like a fool and that was one (of the many) thing(s) Sasuke could not stand for.

"We're going training," he reluctantly supplied, clicking his tongue in aggravation. He couldn't even get his own kid to get out of bed without Naruto's involvement. Some great parent he was making. Sasuke huffed, irate.

"He just got back, Sasuke," Naruto tried to reason when Sasuke threw him a scourging glare; it dawned on him in that moment how the captain's pride must be withering from Shun's inattention. He sighed, turning back to the lump in bed. "Shun." A moment passed. "Shun,"he tried again. "Shunny, adults are speaking to you right now," he called out softly, but was not acknowledged by the boy. "Shunny is a good boy, isn't he? Come on, big boy. You want to be a great ninja? That starts with training. Shunny, baby―"

"I'm not a baby!" Shun finally mumbled into his pillow, eliciting a grin from Naruto.

"If you're not a baby then you won't need me to help you get up, right?" he coaxed and surely enough, Shun reluctantly pushed himself up in a sitting position. Naruto smiled, waggling his index finger in a 'come hither' motion and Shun sighed, defeated.

He begrudgingly got off the bed and wadded towards his beloved chichiue, a frown marring his baby face. Naruto ruffled the already messy jet black tuft of hair adoringly.

"Woah, Shunny is such a good boy," Naruto praised with starry eyes and Sasuke scoffed at the whole exchange. Here he was rewarding the belligerent boy who was nothing but disrespectful and difficult. The boy had _ran away_ with his kid sister and here Naruto was treating him like a prince? No wonder the boy was spoiled, Sasuke rolled his eyes. He wouldn't admit though that while he found Naruto's methods to be too soft and illogical, in the end that's what got the boy to budge.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke frowned, watching the duo walk away.

"To watch Shun train," Naruto answered matter-of-factly, not sparing the captain a glance.

"That won't be necessary," Sasuke dismissed.

"Sorry, but you're not going to win this one," Naruto playfully grinned over his shoulder, his blue eyes glinting with determination, and in that moment Sasuke knew he had lost the argument.

"Are you checking up on me?" Sasuke demanded, and while he tried to be incensed, it ended up sounding too flat. Damn, he was losing all sorts of fights today. One day with kids in his house and he was already softening up?

"He's a kid. Don't push him too hard," Naruto warned as Shun ran down the stairs.

"I know how to train children. I was a goddamn Academy teacher's assistant before my captain days," Sasuke clicked his tongue and Naruto looked back, a teasing simper on his lips.

"Unfortunately, I remember, which is precisely why I have to make sure you won't do something stupid."

Sasuke frowned.

XXX

The boy was undoubtedly an Uchiha, Sasuke marvelled watching the boy suavely fling the kunais and hit all the targets on his very first attempt. He almost allowed himself a small, prideful smile, before he caught himself. The kid already had too much of an ego and he knew that Fugaku, were he still alive, would never approve of lulling a child into a false sense of greatness.

They were in the training grounds right behind the complex, Chinatsu's window visible, were she to unduly awaken.

Naruto whopped, pumping his fist in the air. He was sitting on a tree stump, watching Shun go with wonderment in his eyes.

"Shunny is so amazing!"

Sasuke nodded approvingly, "As expected of my son."

Shun abruptly dropped the kunai, glaring at Sasuke threw his damp bangs.

"I am not you son," he said thickly, causing Sasuke's eye to twitch.

Goodness, the boy was dense.

"Yes. You. Are," Sasuke bit out in a clipped tone, slowly punctuating each word. "I am your otousan, you are an Uchiha, and The Sharingan," Sasuke explained carefully, as though speaking to a challenged baby, his Mangekyou swirling in his eyes, "is the most powerful kekkai genkai."

"You are not my otousan," Shun retorted disinterestedly, not paying attention to a word that came out of the captain's mouth. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his scant supply of patience reaching its breaking point.

"You little br―"

"How about we try some friendly sparring, mhmm?" Naruto quickly intervened, injecting as much enthusiasm as possible into his words as he stood between the two raging Uchihas.

Neither said a word, but the look of steel determination mirrored on both Uchihas' face as they glared at each other indicated that they had accepted the challenge. Naruto's body tensed in spasm, before his muscles released, relief coursing through him as though he has just diffused a bomb. Naruto passed a hand through his mop of blonde. These stubborn Uchihas, they were going to be the death of him... He shook his head.

_'I will make you understand,_' was the mantra in Sasuke's head as he circled around the training ground, his eyes never leaving the little boy.

_'I will not bow to you,_' Shun clenched his fists, ready to break the Sausage.

Shun lunged first, without even following proper sparring etiquette. Sasuke frowned as he effortlessly sidestepped the clumsy attack. Did the kid not even know how to spar? He formed the seals in a deliberate, slow motion to match the boy's pace and allow him to counter-attack. But as Shun was barely able to dodge the Katon that singed the ends of his hair, it became quickly obvious that Shun's movements were sub-par for a boy his age. Sure, the boy was fast and he had great aim, but his movements were clumsy, all over the place. He was running for the sake of running, there was no purpose in his actions, aside from blind rage. He kept firing katon after katon and the boy kept barely escaping, Shun's own attacks being way off mark. Kids who first entered the Academy weren't particularly strong in taijutsu or basic ninjutsu, but even they had honed some basic skills at home.

"Sasuke! You have to go easy on him!" Naruto cried out worriedly as he watched the man repeatedly attack Shun. He watched Shun's poor performance with dismay. He had to intervene, the bastard was going to seriously injure their son at this rate. "Shun has never sparred before!"

"What?" Sasuke exploded, dropping out of his fighting stance, his eyes wide, "You didn't even teach him the basics of sparring? What have you and that dimwit Sai been doing with my kid all this time?"

"MY OTOUSAN IS NOT A DIMWIT!" Shun suddenly shrieked, his voice tight with pain, the high pitch almost eardrum-bursting, surprising both Naruto and Sasuke, who had forgotten that Shun was only a mere steps away.

The chakra began leaking in buckets, a red, stifling hot glow surrounding the boy. It bubbled out of Shun in a suffocating amount, the scorching aura engulfing the field.

Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition. He had felt a similar overbearing chakra before. _Scalding. Hot. It burns._

"This is―"

Naruto gaped, slapping a hand to his mouth, "No, no."

Shun opened his eyes, the Sharingan slowly spinning in them, bloodied and cruel. The boy balled his fists, fangs protruding out of his mouth. He didn't even look like a little boy anymore. He was an animal. Shun growled, it rumbled out of his throat, a low, grotesque grunt.

"What the fuck is happening?" Sasuke managed to bite out, bewildered. "This is Kyuubi's...?"

Naruto swallowed, his face stricken with fear. He nodded slowly, "I... It... It feels like it. This has never happened before."

"YOU ARE NOT MY OTOUSAN!" the creature howled at the top of his lungs, the sound inhumane, his dark purple eyes piercing through Sasuke like a vortex of agony. "I want my otousan back! I want my family back! Give him back! Give my otousan back! Give him back right now! Give me my family back!" he wheezed out and Sasuke stood frozen still, his throat closing up as he stared. The hate oozed out of the boy in sizzling waves and it was all aimed at him. Sasuke couldn't breathe.

Naruto lunged at Shun, immobilizing the boy's clawed hands in his fists. Shun fought back, scratching Naruto's face. The cut stung, but Naruto's face was stone cold as he closed his eyes tapping in Kyuubi's chakra and letting it seep into his arms. The boy was no match for him, his wrists bound in Naruto's grasp. He tilted the boy's chin with his other hand so that they were eye to eye. Shun's Sharingan had mutated into a vermilion, bestial colour.

"Shh, Shun, baby, that's enough," Naruto spoke softly, but audibly.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Shun cried out, his throat burning raw from abuse. "Why are you doing this me? Why? W-WHY?" his breath hitched, his vocal cords sore as he tried to push his chichiue off. Tears began tumbling down his face, his face contorted in agony.

Sasuke clenched his jaw, looking away as his heart sank to his knees. What can you possibly do when your child is crying for someone else?

Naruto poured chakra into his fingers and soothingly rubbed circles in the hysterical boy's back. He ached to the very bone because his son, his darling baby was in so much pain. And it was all because of him. "You said we'd see him everyday! You p-promised!"

The boy snivelled, his eyes swollen and squinted shut as he sobbed. He wailed and wailed and wailed, his body wracking with violent sobs. As much as he tried to stop it or to get a hold of himself, he just couldn't. Shun didn't want to be some weakling. Boys don't cry. Shinobis don't cry. But when his chichiue was looking at him with those eyes― so sad and heartbroken― Shun couldn't stop himself. He could feel a surge of burning aura emanating from him, being drained out of him, but he didn't heed it. It hurt, it hurt, everything hurt so much. The pain in his chest was unbearable, a volcano on the verge of erupting, of leaving a carnage in its wake. He bawled, the tears tunnelling out like a broken dam. It hurt so much, like a million razorblades were lodged in his heart and each pulled and twisted and cut him up to the point where he didn't even know where the pain began. It just hurt everywhere. His otousan was gone. His otousan abandoned them. He left him all alone. His family was broken to shreds and it would never ever be the same. And that _hurt_. That _scorched_.

Naruto felt his vision go blurry as his eyes misted because his son, his son was sobbing his broken little heart out. And Naruto's hands trembled as he roughly engulfed his son― sobbing, sobbing, heartbroken son― into his chest in a cumbersome hug. He poured all of his chakra into the boy, a bubble surrounding them, an unbreakable shield against the world. The chakra swiftly suppressed the Nine Tails' chakra. Shun's knees bucked as he balled his chichiue's shirt in his fist and he cried until he felt his heart would explode. Naruto bit his lip and picked the wailing boy into his arms.

Sasuke mutely watched as Naruto took Shun back home with a dull ache in his chest. He clenched and unclenched his fist, feeling like he had been drained of the very last ounce of life within his body. A zombie. He was a zombie. This all felt so surreal, like Sasuke was watching a movie in which the protagonist is a failure of a father and his son just had his heart ripped out of his ribcage by said father. It felt like Sasuke was watching a movie in which he sneered at the pitiful character, a movie about someone else. But as Sasuke slowly, mechanically placed his hand over the ache on the left side of his chest, he knew that the pain was real. The movie was about him.

Shun's sobs had mitigated quite a bit when Naruto gently placed him atop his bed. Shun's head was aching and he couldn't stop hiccoughing. Naruto got into bed and wrapped his arms around the small body in foetal position. He brushed the black strands of hair out of the boy's face as Shun sniffed, too exhausted to wipe away his tears or his snot that had trekked down his face. Shun just blinked, staring at a nondescript spot on the wall, mentally and physically drained. Naruto kissed the boy atop of his dishevelled hair and whispered sweet promises in his ear. Promises him that everything will be alright, that tomorrow would be better, that the pain will pass. _Everything will be alright, your chichiue promises. Trust me._

But as Naruto laid in bed embracing his son, faced with all the broken pieces of the boy, he wondered if he could eve mend him back together without leaving scars. Naruto shook his head at the irony of it all. The baby boy he swore to protect from all the heartache, from all the evil in this world, from all the pain― in the end, it was Naruto who dealt him the resounding blow. In the end, it was Naruto who broke his precious boy's heart. In the end, it wasn't the world that caused Shun's agony. It was Naruto. And that is something he could never forgive himself. Silent tears streamed down as he gazed at his beautiful, porcelain-like son, who now slumbered in his arms. The long lashes fanned his creamy pale cheeks, his mouth hung slightly open, the dried tracks of tear visible and Naruto balled his fists. His beautiful slumbering boy who looked so misleadingly peaceful.

Naruto wept quietly, vowing to Shun that he'll make everything alright again, vowing to himself to never break his children's hearts again.

XXX

When Naruto came down to the kitchen for a glass of water, Sasuke didn't even bother looking up.

Naruto's step faltered. Sasuke was crouched over, his head in his hands, elbows on the table, completely motionless. It was the first time Naruto had seen the man so undone.

Naruto felt guilty at the waft of relief that washed over him with the knowledge that the great All-Mighty Uchiha Sasuke wasn't completely immune to hurt.

Sasuke knew that Naruto was watching him, but he didn't care. This wasn't the way things were supposed to pan out. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Shun wasn't supposed to look at him with such angry eyes. He wasn't supposed to look at him like he was some villain, some intruder who broke his picture-perfect family to pieces. Shun was supposed to love him. Shun was supposed to see, to realize that he was his real father, that he was his flesh and blood. And that was supposed to be enough. He was supposed to instinctively know this and love him. They would train together and he'd raise him to be a first-class ninja― a ninja Fugaku would've been proud to call his grandson. And he would love Shun and he'd finally, _finally_ have a family again.

Then, "Give it time," was what broke Sasuke out of his stupor.

He lifted his head and looked up at Naruto. For a second, there was such a maelstrom of emotions, so much raw hurt in those dark, dark eyes, Naruto had to clear his throat, afraid he might lose composure again. The sound was all it took for Sasuke to regain his mask of indifference.

"I said give it time, Sasuke. You don't become a parent in a day," Naruto kindly offered, allowing himself a small smile.

Sasuke couldn't explain it, but suddenly he was seeing red. Angry, he was so angry. Here stood the dead last in his class, the boy he would discard without a second thought who now had blossomed into the Hokage, into the man who was able to soothe their son's aching heart, who calmed Shun down from his meltdown and brought him out of his hysteria, while he, Sasuke could do nothing but dumbly watch from the sidelines. Like a fucking dunce. A spectator to his own life.

"If it weren't for you," Sasuke began, hissing, "I would've already―"

"Sasuke," Naruto abruptly cut him, and suddenly it seemed like Naruto had aged considerably in the past twenty-four hours. The lines of fatigue marring his face deepened. "I've just had one of the longest days of my life, I don't want to fight with you," he sighed, and Sasuke fixated the healing, angry slash on the right side of Naruto's eye where Shun had scratched him.

He filled his glass with water and hesitated by the sink.

"Give it time, okay? You... You're going to make a great dad, trust me." Naruto smiled at him with so much sincerity, Sasuke's heart stilled. It was strange, but in that moment Sasuke seemed to understand why people called him beautiful.

For the second time that day, Sasuke watched Naruto leave, awestruck, ignoring the strange tugging at his heart. He folded his hands on the table.

No one ever said it would ever be so hard.

_See the world with the faintest glow  
Break apart and you're dealt the final blow  
Your answer's no  
And all you hear is, "it's the end of all time"_

_To the end of all time  
Just so I can see the lightning climb over you  
To the end of all time  
Just so I can see the lightning climb over me_

_Over me_  
_Over you_

* * *

**in the movie in my head, _this_ is the song Shun breaks apart to. **

**Happy back-to-school, Ramadan Kareem (belatedly) & (early) Eid Mubarak, congratulations Djokovic, you are a bamf and you duckies are all wonderful.**

**Because people asked, Age references:**

**Sasuke- 30 (was 22 in the first six chapters)  
****Naruto- 24 (was 16 in the first six chapters)  
****Shun- 7 (was an embryo in chapter 1, 5 and 6)  
****Chinatsu- 4 (did not exist in first six chapters)**


End file.
